K+* 


THB    OFFICIAL 

Northern  Pacific  Railroad 

GUIDE 


FOR  THE  USE  OF 


TOURISTS  AND   TRAVELERS 


OYER  THE   LIMES  OF  THE 


Northern  Pacific  Railroad 

AND  ITS  BRANCHES. 


ITAINING       DESCRIPTIONS     OF     STATES,      CITIES,     TOWNS      AND      SCENERY 
ALONG    THE     ROUTES    OF    THESE    ALLIED     SYSTEMS    OF    TRANS- 
PORTATION,    and     EM  BRACING      FACTS     RELATING     TO 
TflE   HISTORY,   RESOURCES,   POPCLATION,   INDUS- 
TRIES, PRODUCTS  AND    NATURAE    FEATURES 
OF    THE    GREAT     NORTHWEST. 


PROFUSELY    ILLUSTRATED. 


ST,  PAUL: 
\V.  C.  RILEY,  Publisher. 


Copyright,     i8Q4.    by   W.   C.  Riley, 
St.   Paul,   Minn. 


6££7& 


DONOHUE  &  HENNEBERRY, 

Printers,  Binders  and  Engravers. 

CHICAGO. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGES. 

Introduction 13-18 

From  St.  Paul  to  the  Pacific  Coast — Main  Line t 20-2& 

Minnesota: 

The  Twin  Cities  of  Minnesota 25-45 

Lake  Minnetonka 46 

The  Overland  Train 48-49 

The  Upper  Mississippi  Valley 46-52 

Staples  to  Detroit 53-58 

White  Earth  Reservation 58-60 

The  Red  River  Valley— Moorhead 62-69 

North  Dakota: 

North  Dakota— Bonanza  Wheat  Farms 70-83 

Fargo  to  Jamestown 77-89 

The  Coteaux — James  River  to  the  Missouii — Bismarck 91-95 

Fort  Abraham   Lincoln— The  Great  Bridge — West   Mis- 
souri Country 96-105 

Mandan  to  Dickinson 99-109 

In  "  The  Bad  Lands." 109-122 

ana: 

The  State  of  Montana— Historical 123-130 

The  Yellowstone  Valley 132-134 

Glendive  to  Miles  City 131-135 

ploratioDS  of  the  Yellowstone 135-138 

Figbt  with  Indians  at  Tongue  River —  Massacre  of  Cus- 

( Command 138-14$ 

The  Brilliant  Work  of  Gen.  Miles 143-148 

Fort  Keogh  to  Pompey's  Pillar 148-152 

Crow  Indian  Reservation— Legend   of  Skull  Butte 154-156 

M  intana  Block  Raising — Grand  Mountain  Views 157-165 


6  Contents, 

PAGES' 

Billings  to  Hunter's  Springs 156-168 

Livingston  to  Bozeman 170-175 

Yellowstone  National  Park 172-174 

A  Big  Barley  Farm 177-178 

The  Three  Forks  of  the  Missouri 178-180 

Helena 182-184 

Across  the    Main   Divide— Garrison— Hell     Gate   River 

and  Canyon    185-189 

Beaver  Hill— Missoula 190-194 

Flathead  Indian  Reservation 195-198 

Ravelli— Paradise  Valley  and  Horse  Plains 198-201 

Thompson's  Falls— On  the  Clark's  ^ork 201-206 

Idaho: 

The  State  of  Idaho 207-208 

Cabinet  Landing— Lake  Pend  d'Oreille 208-211 

Hope  to  Hauser  Junction 211-214 

Washington: 

Tbe  Evergreen  State 215-221 

Spokane 221-223 

Spokane  Valley  and  Lake  Cce  ir  d'Alene 224 

The  Palouse  Country 225-228 

Cheney— Sprague— Pasco 228-231 

West  of  the  Columbia 231-234 

Kennewick —  Prosser — Zillah — Sunnpyside      Irrigated 

Lands 234-236 

The  Yakima  Basin— North  Yakima— Yakima  Canyon.. 2§6-239 

The  Kittitas  Basin— Ellensburg 239-240 

Roslyn— The    Great    Stampede     Tunnel— Along  Green 

River 240-241 

The  Great  Forests  of  Washington— Felling  a  Giant  Fir.. 244-252 

Buckley— Puyallup  Valley 252-254 

Tacoma 254-260 

Tacoma  &  Seattle  Line 260-262 

On  Puget  Sound 262-264 

Seattle 264-267 

Port  Townsend 267 

(Victoria,  B.  C.) , 267-268 


Contents.  7 

PAGES. 

Everett — Anacortes —  Fairhaven — New  Whatcom 268-270 

From  Tacoma  to  Portland 270-272 

Olympia  —  Centralia—  Chthalis— Kalama 272-275 

Tenino— Bucoda 275-27,, 

o 

Oregon: 

Portland 276-284 

River  Excursions  from  Portland 284-290 


BRANCH    LINES. 


Wisconsin. — Lake  Superior  Division; 

Ashland 291-292 

Superior    294-300 

Minnesota: 

Duluth 300-303 

Carlton— Aitkin -Deerwood 304-305 

Brainerd 305-307 

Gull  River  to  Staples 308 

Little  Falls  and  Dakota  Branch: 

Little  Falls 51-52 

S  ink  Centre—  Glen  wood— Morris 309-311 

Little  Falls  to  Braint  rd: 

Belle  Prairie— Fort  Ripley 311 

Xurth,  m  Pacific,  Fergus  Falls  and  Black  Jlilh  Branch; 

Henning—  Clitherall— Battle  Lake 312-315 

Fergus  Falls— Breckinridge 315-317 

North  Dakota: 

Wahpeton — Milnor 317 

—  The  Manitoba  Division: 

Summary 318 

Winnipeg  Junction ...  61 

irtile —  Red     Lake     Palls —  Crookalon  —East    Grand 

Porks 819-321 

Red  Lake  Reservation 320-321 


8  Contents. 

North  Dakota:  pages. 

Grand  Forks— Grafton— Drayton— Pembina 822-325 

Manitoba: 

West  Lynne— Morris 325 

Brandon 326-327 

Winnipeg—Portage  la  Prairie 327-330 

North  Dakota. — Fargo  and  Southwestern  Branch: 

Fargo 77-79 

Sheldon— Lisbon— LaMoure-nEdgeley 33 1-333 

Sanborn,  Cooperstown  and  Turtle  Mountain  Branch: 

Cooperstown 334-335 

James  Jiiver  Valley  Railroad: 

Jamestown 89-90 

Grand  Ripids— Glover— Oakes 336-338 

La  Moure 332-333 

Jamestown  and  Northern  Railroad: 

Carrington — Sykeston — New  Reck  ford 339-341 

Fort  Totten — Minnewaukan — Devil's  Lake — Leeds.  .341-342 

Montana:— Rocky  Fork  &  Cooke  City  R.  R. 

Liurel  (163)— Red  Lodge 343-344 

Reeky  Mountain  Railroad  of  Montana — Yellowstone   Park 
Line: 

Llvingst  m  (170-172)— Horr -Cinnabar 346 

Northern  Pacific  cfe  Montana  Bianch: 

Bozeman — Logan 175-178 

Butte  City 347-358 

Anaconda— Deer  L  nlge 358-360 

Helena    d-  Jefferson    County   and  Helena,  Boulder  Valley 
&  Butte  Railroads: 

Helena  (L82-18"))— BouMer— Dkhorn— Wickes 361-362 

Helena  &  Red  Mountain   and   Helena   &  Northern  Ruil- 
roads: 

Rimini — Marysville 363 

Drummond  &  Phillipsburg  Railroad: 

Drummond  (188)  —  Phillipsburg  —  Granite   Moun- 
tain     364-365 


Contents.  9 

Bitter  Root   Valley  Railroad:  pages* 

Missoula  (191-194)— Stevensville  (Tyler)  —Victor— 
Grantsdalc 366-367 

DeSmet  &  Caur  d'Alene  Branch. 

Missoula— DiSmtt  (191-194) 368 

Idaho: 

Mullan  —  Wallace  —  Murray  —  Wardner  —  Mission  — 
Cceur  d'Alene  City 368-371 

Washington. — Spokane  &  Palouse  Railroad: 

Spokane  (221-223)— Spangle  — Oakesdale  —  Farmington 

—Garfield— Palouse  Ci?y— Pullman 372-37$ 

Idaho: 

Moscow  — The  Potlatch  Country  — The   Genesee   Coun- 
try—Lewiston 373-375 

Washington — South  of  Snake  River: 

Whitman  —  Walla  Walla  —  Waitsburg  —  Dayton  — 

Pomeroy 3T6-37& 

Oregon: 

Athena— Pendleton— The  Snake  River 379-381 

Washington.— Central  Washington  Railroad: 

Spokane  (221) — Medical   Lake —Davenport —Wilbur- 
Coulee  City 383-385 

N.  P.    &  Cascade  Branch — Crocker  (main  line)— Douty 

—Burnett— Wilkeson  and  Carbonado 387 

Ued  Railroads  of  Washington: 

Tacoma  (254)  — Elma — Montesano  —  Cosmopolis  — 
Aberdeen— Hoquaim— Ocosta—  Westpoit— Chohalis 

— Willapa  City— South  Bend 388-390 

Seattle,  Lake  Shore  <£  Eastern  Railway. 

fcttle    (264)  —  Sncqualmie    Falls  —  Snohomish  — 
Sumas 391-397 

British  COLUMBIA: 

New  Westminster— Vancouver 398-4GO 

A  Trip  ro  Alaska 401-442 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE. 

The  "  Dacotahs'  "  Farewell  to  the  Buff  Uo Frontispiece. 

Headquarters  Northern  Pacific  Railroad,  St.  Paul 19 

Lumbering  in  the  Minnesota  Pineries 24 

A  View  in  St.  Paul 29 

The  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  from  the  Stone  Viaduct    across  the 

Mississippi  36 

Detroit  Like,  Minnesota 47 

Threshing  No.  1  Hard  Wheat 63 

Plowing  on  a  Bonanza  Farm 72 

Seeding  on  a  Bonanza  Farm 76 

Harrowing  on  a  Bouanza  Farm 80 

Harvesting  on  a  Bonanza  Farm 84 

The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  Bridge  over  the   Missouri  River.  97 

Indian  Camp,  on  the  Line  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad 104 

Buffalo  Hunting  in  Early  Days 108 

Pyramid  Park  Scenery 112 

Buttes  in  Pyramid  Park 116 

Driving  Cattle  from  the  Range  to  the  Railroad 120 

Eagle  Butte,  near  Glendive,  Montana 128 

Current  Ferry  over  the  Yellowstone 147 

Big  Horn  River,  Bridge  and  Tunnel 150 

Pompey's  Pillar,  Yellowstone  Valley 153 

Valley  of  the  Yellowstone  above  Billings  158 

Trout  Fishing  on  the  Big  Boulder  164 

Yellowstone  River  and  Crazy  Mountains 166 

Gate  of  the  Mountains,  near  Livingston 171 

Three  Forks  of  the  Missouri— Gallatin,  Madison  and  Jefferson .  179 

The  Gate  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  Missouri  River,  near  Helena  183 

Beaver  Hill,  Hell  Gate  Canon,  near  Missoula 192 

Mission  Mountains,  Flathead  Country   196 

Thompson's  Falls,  Clark's  Fork  of  the  Columbia 200 

Along  the  Clark's  Fork 203 

(10) 


Ilhtstrations.  11 

PAGE. 

Cabinet  Gor^e,  on  Clark's  Fork 204 

Skirting  the  Clark's  Fork 209 

Lake  Pend  d'Oreille 210 

Lake  Coeur  d'Alene 213 

Distant  View  of  Mount  Tacoma 218 

Northern  Pacific   Railroad  Bridge  over  the  Columbia  River  at 

Pasco 230 

Pictured  Rocks  on  the  Nachess  River 233 

In  the  Yakima  Canyon 238 

Eastern  Slopes  of  Cascade  Mountain,  near  the  Stampede  Tunnel  242 

Western  Portal  of  Stampede  Tunnel 243 

Lake  Kichelos,  near  Summit  of  Cascade  Range 245 

A  Glimpse  of  Green  River 248 

Three  Bridges  and  Tunnel  of  Green  River 251 

Hop  Picking  in  the  Puyallup  Valley 253 

Loading  Vessels  at  Tacoma 255 

Mt.  Tacoma  from  Commencement  Bay 257 

Glaciers  of  Ml.  Tacoma 259 

261 

Mt.  Tacoma  in  August 263 

Snoqualmie  Falls 265 

Castle  Rock 269 

Leaping  Salmon  at  the  Dalles 271 

Cape  Horn 277 

Cascades  of  the  Columbia 281 

Multnomah  Falls 283 

Pillars  of  Hercules  and  Rooster  Rock 285 

Mt.  Hood 287 

On  Docks  at  Ashland,  Wis 293 

Coal  Docks  at  Superior 295 

Birdseye  View,  Duluth  and  Superior 297 

r  James  River  Valley 337 

Palisades  of  the  Yellowstone  345 

r  Mine  and  Mill  at  Butte 351 

i'-al  Lake 382 

<  Ihelau 386 

.  church,  Alaska 401 

402 


12  Illustrations. 

PAGE. 

Thlinket  War  Canoe 407 

The  Thousand  Islands 411 

Fort  Wrangell 419 

Muir  Glacier 421 

Grave  and  Totem  Poles 427 

Juneau 432 

An  Alaska  Steamer 438 


INTRODUCTION. 


Outline  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad's  History. 


£SggS%fHE  charter  and  organization  of  the  Northern 
Pacific  Railroad  Company  date  from  1864;  but 
the  project  to  build  the  railroad  over  substan- 
gg  tially  the  same  route  now  traversed  by  the  com- 
pany's main  line  is  much  older.  Indeed,  it  is  the 
oldest  of  all  projects  to  open  railway  communication  with 
the  Pacific  coast.  A  railroad  from  the  upper  Mississippi 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  river  was  advocated  as  long 
ago  as  1835,  soon  after  the  railway  system  was  introduced 
in  this  country.  About  ten  years  later,  an  enterprising 
New  York  merchant,  named  Asa  Whitney,  who  had  made 
a  fortune  in  China,  urged  upon  Congress,  session  after 
session,  a  plan  for  building  a  railroad  from  the  head  of 
Lake  Michigan,  or  from  Prairie  du  Chien,  on  the  Missis- 
sippi river,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  river,  in  Oregon. 
He  asked  a  land  grant  of  sixty  miles  in  width  along  the 
whole  line  of  his  proposed  route.  Many  State  legislatures 
passed  resolutions  in  favor  of  Whitney's  project,  and  Con- 
gress gave  it  much  serious  consideration.  At  one  time 
Whitney's  bill  was  within  one  vote  of   passing  the    Senate. 

(13) 


14  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

After  the  Mexican  war  came  the  annexation  of  Califor- 
nia, followed  by  the  gold  discoveries  and  the  rapid  growth 
of  population  in  that  State.  Then  the  general  opinion  in 
Congress  and  the  country  naturally  favored  the  building 
of  the  first  transcontinental  line  of  railroad  on  a  route  end- 
ing at  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco.  Accordingly,  the  Union 
and  Central  Pacific  Companies  were  chartered  in  1862, 
with  a  grant  of  public  lands  and  a  large  subsidy  of  gov- 
ernment bonds.  Among  the  projectors  of  a  line  to  Cali- 
fornia, was  Josiah  Perham,of  Maine,  then  living  in  Boston, 
who  had  a  charter  from  the  State  of  Maine  for  the  People's 
Pacific  Railroad  Company,  and  who,  in  vain,  attempted  to 
get  Congress  to  adopt  his  company,  and  give  it  the  grants 
subsequently  given  to  the  Union  and  Central  companies. 
Failing  in  this  effort,  Mr.  Perham  turned  to  the  northern 
road,  which  had  been  long  and  ably  advocated  as  the  best 
line  to  the  Pacific  coast  by  the  eminent  engineer,  Edward 
F.  Johnson,  and  by  Governor  Stevens,  of  Washington  Ter- 
ritory, who  had  been  in  command  of  the  Government 
expedition  that  surveyed  the  northern  line  of  1853. 
Stevens'  surveys  had  shown  the  northern  road  was  not  only 
feasible,  but  was  a  better  line  in  respect  to  grades  and  in 
regard  to  the  character  of  the  country  traversed  than  any 
other. 

In  1864,  Congress  passed  a  bill  chartering  the  Northern 
Pacific  Railroad  Company,  and  naming  as  incorporators, 
among  others,  the  men  concerned  with  Perham  in  the  old 
abortive  People's  Pacific  Company.  Under  this  charter, 
the  company  was  organized  in  Boston,  with  Mr.  Perham 
as  president,  and  an  attempt  was  made  to  raise  money  for 
the  construction  of  the  road  by  a  popular  subscription  to 
shares  of  stock  at  $100  each.  This  attempt  was  an  abso- 
lute  failure,   and    after   a  year's  futile  effort  Mr.    Perham 


Introduction.  15 

and  his  associates  turned  over  the  charter  of  the  company 
to  an  organization  of  New  England  capitalists  and  railroad 
men,  who  proposed  to  make  the  road  tributary  to  Boston. 
They  elected  J.  Gregory  Smith,  of  the  Vermont  Central 
Railroad,  president  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Company. 
Smith  and  his  associates  tried  in  vain  for  several  years  to 
obtain  legislation  from  Congress  guaranteeing  the  interest 
on  the  company's  stock.  The  original  charter  did  not 
allow  the  issue  of  bonds.  Attempts  in  this  direction  were 
abandoned  in  1869,  and  amendments  to  the  charter  were 
procured  allowing  the  company  to  mortgage  its  road  and 
land  grant.  A  contract  was  then  made  with  the  banking 
house  of  Jay  Cooke  &  Co.,  of  Philadelphia,  to  sell  the 
company's  bonds.  Mr.  Cooke  had  negotiated  the  great 
war  loans  of  the  government,  and  was  regarded  as  the  I 
most  successful  financier  of  the  country.  In  the  short 
period  of  about  two  years,  his  firm  disposed  of  over  thirty 
millions  of  dollars  of  Northern  Pacific  bonds,  bearing  • 
interest  at  7^  per  cent.  With  the  money  thus  obtained, 
the  work  of  construction  was  begun  in  the  spring  of  1870  ; 
and  by  the  fall  of  1873  the  road  had  been  completed  from 
Duluth,  at  the  head  of  Lake  Superior,  to  Bismarck,  on  the 
Missouri  river,  and  from  Kalama,  on  the  Columbia  river, 
in  Washington  Territory,  to  Tacoma,  on  Puget  Sound,  the 
total  number  of  miles  completed  being  about  600. 

The  great  financial  panic  of  1873  prostrated  the  house 
of  Jay  Cooke  &  Co.,  wholly  stopped  the  sale  of  Northern 
Pacific  bonds,  and  made  it  impossible  to  go  on  with  the 
road.  The  company  was  insolvent,  and,  after  a  time,  its 
directors  threw  it  into  bankruptcy,  and,  with  the  cordial 
assent  of  the  bondholders,  reorganized  its  affairs  so  as  to 
free  it  from  debt,  by  converting  its  outstanding  bonds  into 
preferred  stock.      When    the    effects  of   the  panic  and  the 


18  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

succeeding  hard  times  had  begun  to  pass  by,  the  managers 
of  the  Northern  Pacific  recommenced  the  work  of  building 
its  long  lines  across  the  continent.  Its  construction  began 
with  the  Cascade  branch,  from  Tacoma  to  the  newly  dis- 
covered coal  fields  at« the  base  of  the  Cascade  mountains. 
Then  a  loan  was  negotiated  for  building  the  Missouri 
division,  from  the  Missouri  to  the  Yellowstone  river;  and 
shortly  afterward  another  loan  for  the  construction  of 
the  Pend  d'Oreille  division,  from  the  mouth  of  the  Colum- 
bia river  to%  Lake  Pend  d'Oreille,  in  Idaho.  In  the  mean- 
time, several  changes  had  occurred  in  the  presidency  of 
the  road.  President  Smith  had  been  succeeded,  in  1874, 
by  General  Cass,  and  he  by  Charles  B.  Wright,  of  Phila- 
delphia. Mr.  Wright's  resignation,  in  1879,  was  followed 
by  the  election  of  Frederick  Billings,  under  whose  manage- 
ment the  work  of  construction  was  carried  on  until  1881. 
A  general  first  mortgage  loan  was  negotiated  to  provide 
the  means  for  completing  and  equipping  the  entire  line. 
The  credit  of  the  company  had  by  this  time  become  so 
good  that  its  bonds  were  readily  sold  above  par  by  a  syn- 
dicate of  the  leading  bankers  of  New  York  City. 

In  1881,  Henry  Villard,  who  had  previously  obtained 
control  of  all  the  transportation  lines,  both  rail,  sea  and 
river,  in  Oregon  and  Washington, purchased  forhimself  and 
friends  a  controlling  interest  in  the  srock  of  the  Northern 
Pacific  Company,  and  was  elected  its  president.  His 
purpose  was  to  ally  to  the  Continental  Trunk  Line,  as 
feeders  and  extensions,  the  lines  then  under  his  manage- 
ment on  the  Pacific  coast.  Under  the  management  of 
President  Villard  and  Vice  President  Thomas  F.  Oakes,  the 
work  on  both  ends  of  the  Northern  Pacific  was  prosecuted 
with  great  vigor  during  the  years  1881,  1882  1883,  until 
the  ends  of  track,  advancing  from  both  sides  of   the  conti- 


Introduction.  17 

nent,  met  near  the  summit  of  the  Rocky  mountains. 

The  last  rail  on  the  Northern  Pacific  railroad  was  laid 
with  impressive  ceremonies  on  September  23d,  1883,  at  a 
point  in  the  valley  of  the  Hellgate  river,  near  the  mouth 
of  Gold  creek.  Four  trains  of  invited  guests  came  over 
the  road  from  the  East,  and  one  train  from  the  Pacific 
coast.  Among  the  distinguished  guests  were  a  number 
of  members  of  the  English  and  German  parliaments,  all 
the  British  and  American  ambassadors  at  Washington,  and 
members  of  the  American  Congress,  General  IT.  S.  Grant, 
the  governors  of  all  the  States  and  Territories  traversed  by 
the  line,  and  the  former  presidents  of  the  Northern  Pacific 
company;  also  a  number  of  distinguished  engineers  and 
scientists  from  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  and  many  rep- 
resentatives of  leading  newspapers  in  America  and 
Europe.  An  oration  was  delivered  by  Hon.  W.  M.  Evarts. 
The  last  spike  was  driven  by  Henry  Villard,  then  presi- 
dent of  the  company,  and  the  road  was  immediately 
opened  for  traffic. 

In  1884,  Villard  was  succeeded  in  the  presidency  by 
Robert  Harris,  long  a  director  in  the  company.  Under 
his  presidency  the  Northern  Pacific  built  its  line  up  the 
Yakima  valley  from  Pasco  to  the  junction  of  the  Colum- 
bia and  Snake  rivers,  over  the  Cascade  mountains  to 
Puget  Sound.  It  had  already  built  from  Tacoma  to  Port- 
land, and  the  new  road  now  had  a  line  of  its  own  to  those 
cities  independent  of  its  former  connection  with  the 
Oregon  Railway  Navigation  company,  running  down  the 
Columbia  river,  which  had  passed  by  lease  into  the  hands 
of  the  Union  Pacific.  The  new  road  was  opened  to  travel 
in  1887,  using  a  high  grade  switch  line  across  the  Stam- 
pede pass  of  the  Cascade  mountains,  pending  the  comple- 
tion of   the  great  tunnel,  which  was   finished  in    188S.      In 


18  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

that  year,  Thomas  F.  Oakes,  the  vice-president  of  the 
company  since  1880  and  its  general  manager  at  Saint 
Paul  since  1884,  was  elected  president.  Under  his  presi- 
dency numerous  additional  branches  were  built  in  Dakota, 
Manitoba,  Montana,  Idaho  and  Washington. 

The  Northern  Pacific,  which  was  predicted  as  a  single 
line  from  Lake  Superior  to  Portland,  Oregon,  a  distance 
of  a  little  over  2,000  miles,  has  now  grown  into"  a  vast  sys- 
tem of  main  line  and  branches,  aggregating  in  length 
nearly  5,000  miles. 


FROM  ST.   PAUL  TO  THE  PACIFIC 
COAST. 


MINNESOTA.— The  tourist  leaving  St.  Paul  for  the 
Pacific  coast  travels  through  the  State  of  Minne- 
sota for  the  first  250  miles  of  the  journey,  and  will  naturally 
wish  to  have  some  condensed  information  concerning  this 
great  commonwealth.  In  its  natural  features,  Minnesota 
possesses  many  elements  of  special  beauty.  It  has  within  its 
borders  over  7,000  lakes  all  well  stocked  with  such  excellent 
food  fish  as  the  black  bass,  perch,  pickerel,  pike  and  mus- 
kalonge.  These  lakes  form  beautiful  features  in  the 
scenery  and  are  favorite  summer  resorts  for  pleasure  seek- 
ers and  sportsmen.  The  State  has  a  shore  line  of  over  100 
miles  on  Lake  Superior,  the  largest  body  of  fresh  water  in 
the  world.  It  is  traversed  for  the  greater  part  of  its  length 
by  the  Mississippi  river,  which  rises  in  Lake  Itaska  in  the 
heart  of  the  great  forest  in  the  northern  part  of  the  State, 
and  is  fed  by  a  multitude  of  lakes  and  small  streams.  On 
the  plateau,  where  the  Mississippi  rises,  the  Red  river  of 
the  North  and  the  Rainy  river  have  also  their  sources, 
their  waters  flowing  northward  to  Hudson  bay,  and  the  St. 
Louis  river  starts  in  the  same  region  and  runs  into  the 
head  of  Lake  Superior. 

In  its  industrial  life,  Minnesota  possesses  many  features 
of  special  interest.  It  produces  annually  more  wheat  than 
any  other  State  in  the  Union.     It  makes  more  flour  at  its 

20 


From  St.  Paul  to  the  Pacific  Coast  21 

great  milling  city  of  Minneapolis  than  is  made  at  any- 
other  place  in  the  entire  world.  It  ships  more  wheat  over 
its  great  fresh  water  port  at  Duluth  than  goes  directly  from 
the  wheat  fields  to  any  other  place  in  the  world.  Minne- 
sota is  also  one  of  the  very  great  lumber  producing  States 
of  the  Union,  sending  out  annually  from  its  pine  forests 
about  1,500,000,000  feet  of  lumber.  It  has  become  in 
recent  years  one  of  the  great  iron  mining  States  and  was 
surpassed  in  this  respect  in  1890  by  only  two  other  States. 
With  the  opening  of  its  new  Mesaba  mines  it  will  soon 
lead  them  all.  Its  population  is  about  1,500,000  and  is 
pretty  evenly  divided  between  people  of  American  birth 
and  ancestors,  emigrants  of  foreign  birth  and  their  chil- 
dren. The  strongest  foreign  elements  come  from  the 
Scandinavian  countries — Sweden,  Norway  and  Denmark. 
Next  in  relative  numbers  come  the  Germans,  Canadians 
and  Irish,  while  there  are  considerable  contingents  from 
Poland,  Finland,  Bohemia  and  other  countries. 

The  State  of  Minnesota  lies  between  Wisconsin  on  the 
east  and  North  Dakota  and  South  Dakota  on  the  west, 
stretching  from  Iowa  on  the  south  to  the  Canadian  prov- 
ince of  Manitoba  on  the  north.  It  extends  through  five 
and  one-half  degrees  of  latitude,  the  49th  parallel  being 
its  boundary  from  the  Red  river  of  the  North  eastward  to 
the  Lake  of  the  Woods,  from  which  the  line  of  demarka- 
tion  between  the  State  and  the  British  possessions  follows 
the  course  of  Rainy  Lake  river  and  the  chain  of  lakes 
eastward,  beyond  the  western  point  of  Lake  Superior.  Its 
western  boundary  is  regular,  its  eastern  very  irregular. 
Its  average  breadth  is  about  250  miles,  and  its  length  381. 
Its  area,  according  to  the  Government  surveys,  is  83,531 
square  miles,  or  53,459,840  acres.  More  than  3,000,000 
acres  of  this  is  water  surface,  the  State  being  especially 


22  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

noted  for  the  number  as  well  as  the  beauty  of  its  inland 
lakes.  Only  42,477,682  acres  of  its  surface  has  beer 
surveyed.  The  most  of  the  unsurveyed  portion  lies  in  the 
northern  and  northeastern  counties,  which  are  largely 
timber  and  mineral  lands.  Its  area  exceeds  that  of  all 
the  New  England  States  together,  and  is  nearly  as  great  as 
that  of  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania  combined.  The  general 
elevation  of  the  State  above  sea  level  is  high.  There  are 
no  mountains,  properly  so  called,  within  its  boundaries. 
As  a  rule  the  surface  is  pleasantly  varied,  while  there 
are  within  the  State  sufficient  elevations  of  a  considerable 
height  to  redeem  it  from  monotony,  and  give  ample  drain- 
age. The  highest  point,  so  far  as  ascertained,  is  about 
2,200  feet  above  sea  level. 

The  climate  of  Minnesota  possesses  those  characteristics 
which  are  peculiar  to  the  northern  belt  of  the  temperate 
zone  at  a  considerable  distance  from  the  seaboard.  The 
range  of  the  thermometer  is  great  in  all  seasons,  fre- 
quently exceeding  500  during  the  winter  and  spring 
months,  and  showing  variations  of  400  in  the  summer  sea- 
son. For  six  years  the  mean  winter  temperature,  as  given 
by  the  United  States  Signal  service  at  St.  Paul,  was  180 
45'  in  winter,  450  50'  in  spring,  700  49'  in  summer,  and  440 
14'  in  autumn,  and  this  included  two  remarkably  cold 
seasons.  The  bright  sunshine  of  summer  forces  vegeta- 
tion with  great  rapidity  and  luxuriance.  The  thermome- 
ter in  winter  often  drops  under  zero,  sometimes  register- 
ing 300  below;  but  the  stillness  and  dryness  of  the  air 
make  the  cold  far  from  disagreeable.  An  ordinary  still 
day  in  Minnesota,  with  the  thermometer  ranging  from 
zero  to  io°  or  120  below,  is  really  enjoyable,  and  mechanics 
are  able  to  work  out  of  doors  at  this  temperature  without 
inconvenience.     Spring  does  not  linger  in  the  lap  of  win- 


From  St  Paul  to  the  Pacific  Coast. 


23 


ter,  but  bursts  forth  on  the  approach  of  May;  and  the 
Indian  summer,  late  in  November,  is  a  season  of  almost 
magical  beauty  and  softness.  The  climate,  indeed,  is  con- 
sidered one  of  the  most  healthy  in  the  world.  Persons 
afflicted  with  pulmonary  diseases  are  sent  to  Minnesota  to 
recover  their  strength  and  vigor,  and  thousands  of  con- 
sumptive patients  bless  the  dry  and  balmy  qualities  in  the 
atmosphere,  which  are  potent  enough  to  rescue  such 
sufferers  from  untimely  death. 


24 


THE  TWIN  CITIES  OF  MINNESOTA. 


St.  Paul. — The  capital  of  Minnesota  is  a  handsome 
and  wealthy  city  of  about  175,000  inhabitants,  situated  at 
the  head  of  navigation  on  the  Mississippi  river.  It  is  the 
most  important  railway  center  in  the  entire  Northwest, 
and  the  greatest  center  of  general  jobbing  and  trading. 
St.  Paul  is  also  extensively  engaged  in  manufacturing,  her 
principal  industries  being  the  making  of  reapers  and 
mowers,  boots  and  shoes,  cordage,  harness,  stoves,  steam 
engines,  clothing  and  agricultural  implements.  It  is  built 
upon  benches  and  hills  on  both  sides  of  the  Mississippi 
river,  and  is  one  of  the  most  healthful  and  agreeable  cities 
for  residence  in  the  world,  being  well  drained,  well  paved, 
and  being  supplied  with  pure  waterfrom  numerous  spring- 
fed  lakes.  Six  railways  connect  the  city  with  Chicago, 
three  with  the  Pacific  coast,  two  with  Manitoba,  and  three 
with  the  head  of  Lake  Superior.  Steamboats  run  on  the 
Mississippi  for  both  freight  and  passengers.  The  banks, 
insurance  companies,  wholesale  houses  and  principal  retail 
stores  occupy  very  substantial  and  magnificent  structures. 
The  best  residence  district  is  noted  for  its  beauty,  and 
Summit  avenue  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  finest  thorough- 
fares in  America. 

St.  Paul  was  fifty  years  old  in  October,  1891.  In  that 
month  of  the  year  1841,  Father  Gaultier,  a  Catholic  mission- 
ary, dedicated  a  log  chapel  on  the  river  bank  near  the  foot 

25 


26  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

of  Jackson  street,  and  expressed  the  hope  that  it  would 
become  the  nucleus  of  a  city.  The  Catholic  churches  of 
St.  Paul  celebrated  the  semi-centennial  of  the  building  of 
this  chapel,  and  in  the  course  of  an  eloquent  discourse 
Archbishop  Ireland  spoke  as  follows: 

"  St.  Paul  in  1841,  and  St.  Paul  in  1891!  What  a  change! 
St.  Paul,  linked  with  her  sister  Minneapolis — so  near 
together  that  they  should  not  be  named  apart — hold  in 
their  embrace  350,000  souls  ;  two  millions  and  more  dwell 
in  the  old  haunts  of  Sioux  and  Chippewas  between  the  St. 
Croix  and  Missouri  rivers.  This  territory  sends  bread  and 
meat  to  the  nations  of  the  world.  A  dozen  iron  ways — 
Rome's  imperial  roads  were  merest  shadows  of  them — 
spread  out  from  our  cities  as  vast  arteries  of  trade  and 
travel  to  the  Pacific  and  Atlantic  oceans,  to  Mexico's  Gulf 
and  Canada's  remote  regions.  Palaces  of  commerce  line 
the  streets;  their  avenues  and  mansions  scarce  have  rivals. 
Colleges  and  universities  speak  forth  the  wisdom  of  ages 
past  and  the  newness  of  scholastic  prowess,  of  which  the 
past  never  did  dream.  The  lightning  of  the  skies  changes 
our  night  into  day  and  whirls  us  in  our  daily  journeyings 
whither  we  would  go  with  the  rapidity  of  the  wind.  And 
further  on  impatient  we  race:  fifty  years  hence  what  a 
story  there  will  be  to  tell  ! 

"  Fifty  years  hence  !  What  will  it  be?  God  knows.  I 
confess  to  a  wish  to  be  present  at  the  centennial  celebra- 
tion, to  see  on  the  first  of  November,  1941,  the  city  of  St. 
Paul  and  the  diocese  of  St.  Paul.  My  soul  shall  crave 
from  God  on  that  day  the  privilege  to  roam  the  streets  of 
my  beloved  city  and  listen  to  the  Te  Deum  in  its  majestic 
cathedral.  For  you,  my  friends,  and  for  myself  I  pray 
that  we  do  our  part  in  the  time  allotted  to  us,  so  that  the 
celebrants  in  the  festivities  of    1941  may  speak  as  tenderly 


The   Twin  Cities  of  Minnesota.  27 

and    as    gratefully  of  us  as  we  do  of  the  priest  and  the 
people  of  1841. 

"  Priest  and  people  of  1841  have  nearly  all  left  the  scenes 
of  life.  So  shall  we  leave  them,  and  so,  too,  they  that  are 
coming  to  take  our  places.  What  then  is  life  for  man  ? 
Life  for  the  individual,  if  nought  there  be  but  earth,  is  the 
spray  cast  up  by  the  breeze  above  the  flowing  waters,  to 
be  again  absorbed  by  them,  and  anniversaries  and  recol- 
lections of  past  years  awaken  in  us  but  sadness  and  despair, 
as  they  betoken  our  own  annihilation.  What  then  is 
life  ?  It  is  immortality.  Through  all  the  ruins  of 
earth  and  over  all  the  graves  of  men,  the  whisperings 
of  hope  are  heard  ;  man's  conscience  and  the  revealing 
voice  of  God  confirm  them  and  make  certain  for  us  the 
knowledge  that  we  shall  live  forever,  and  that  our  works 
done  on  earth  shall  obtain  retribution  from  God.  Life 
has  its  most  solemn  meaning,  and  there  is  a  reason  for  our 
well-being.  The  good  done  by  those  who  have  preceded 
us  remains  for  them,  whether  it  is  yet  remembered  in  the 
world,  or  all  vestige  of  it  has  been  swept  away.  The  good 
done  by  us  shall  remain  for  us.  Let  us  work  well ;  we 
work  for  eternity." 

St.  Paul  is  built  upon  a  succession  of  four  distinct  ter- 
races, which  rise  in  gradation  from  the  river.  The  first  is 
the  low  bottom  which  forms  the  levee.  This  was  formerly 
subject  to  overflow,  but  it  has  been  raised  above  high- 
water  mark,  and  is  now  a  very  valuable  property,  occu- 
pied by  warehouses,  railroad  tracks,  the  Union  Depot  and 
business  offices.  On  the  second  and  third  terraces  the 
principal  part  of  the  city  is  established.  The  second 
terrace,  which  is  about  ninety  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
river,  is  also  devoted  to  business,  and  is  thickly  studded 
with  fine  blocks  of  buildings.     Some  of  these  are  so  com- 


28  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

maadingly  situated  on  the  high  bluffs  which  overhang 
the  Mississippi  as  to  be  visible  a  long  distance  up  and 
down  the  stream,  giving  the  city  an  imposing  architectural 
appearance  as  it  is  approached  by  rail  or  river.  The 
third  terrace,  very  little  higher  than  the  second,  widens 
out  into  a  broad  plateau,  upon  which  stands  much  of  the 
residence  portion  of  the  city.  These  upper  terraces  are 
on  a  foundation  of  blue  limestone  rock,  from  twelve  to 
twenty  feet  in  thickness,  forming  an  excellent  building 
material.  Beneath  this  stratum  is  a  bed  of  friable  white 
quartzose  sandstone  of  unknown  depth,  which  is  easily 
tunneled,  and  through  which  all  the  sewers  have  been 
excavated.  The  fourth,  or  highest  terrace,  is  a  semicircu- 
lar range  of  hills,  inclosing  the  main  portion  of  St.  Paul  as 
in  an  amphitheatre.  The  pictureesque  sweep  of  these 
heights,  conforming  to  the  curve  of  the  river,  with  their 
growth  of  native  forests,  and  the  stately  residences  which 
are  scattered  over  their  slopes,  is  a  characteristic  charm  of 
St.  Paul.  Fine  avenues  have  been  laid  out  over  many 
of  the  hills,  leading  away  to  the  prairie  lands  beyond,  or 
to  some  of  the  beautiful  lakes  in  the  neighborhood,  and 
the  residence  part  of  the  city  is  rapidly  extending  in  every 
direction. 

The  best  views  of  St,  Paul  are  obtained  from  the  Indian 
mounds  on  Dayton's  Bluff ;  from  Merriam  hill,  near  the 
State  capitol  ;  from  the  lookout  on  Summit  avenue,  and 
from  the  bluffs  in  West  St.  Paul.  Tourists  should  not 
fail  to  drive  on  Summit  avenue,  which  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  residence  streets  in  the  world.  They  should  also 
cross  the  new  Smith  avenue  bridge,  one  of  the  highest 
viaducts  in  the  world,  from  which  a  superb  view  of  the  city 
and  of  the  river  may  be  enjoyed;  and  should  return  through 
West  St.  Paul  by  way  of  the  Robert  street  bridge. 


BO  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

There  are  many  beautiful  drives  in  the  city  and  its 
suburbs,  and  a  large  number  of  resorts  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, which  may  be  reached  by  river  and  rail.  The  drive 
to  Lake  Como,  four  miles  distant,  is  over  a  fine,  hard  gravel 
road,  and  the  jaunt  thither  on  a  cool  summer  evening  is 
delightful.  There  is  a  handsome  boulevard  drive  around 
the  lake,  passing  through  Como  park,  a  beautiful  pleasure 
ground.  Electric  cars  run  to  the  park  from  the  center  of 
the  city. 

The  most  conspicuous  building  in  the  city  is  the  new 
county  court  house,  built  of  stone  at  a  cost'of  about  one 
million  dollars.  It  is  the  most  imposing  public  structure 
in  the  entire  Northwest.  Other  noteworthy  buildings  are 
the  State  capitol,  the  United  States  Postoffice  and  custom 
house,  the  Pioneer  Press  newspaper  building,  thirteen 
stories  high,  the  Globe  newspaper  building,  the  Endicott  Ar- 
cade,the  Union  depot,  the  Ryan  hotel,  the  German-Ameri- 
can National  bank,  the  New  York  Life  Insurance  building, 
the  Germania  Life  Insurance  building,  the  Bank  of  Min- 
nesota, the  great  apartment  houses  known  as  The  Albion, 
The  Colonnade,  and  the  Barto,  the  Minnesota  Club  house, 
numerous  handsome  churches,  the  Northern  Pacific 
building,  and  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  building.  The 
principal  hotels  are  the  Ryan,  Merchants',  Metropolitan, 
Windsor  and  the  Aberdeen.  The  new  Metropolitan  opera 
house  is  the  largest  and  best  built  theater  in  the  North- 
west. 

St.  Paul  is  an  important  educational  center,  having  four 
well-established  colleges:  Macalester,  a  Presbyterian  insti- 
tution; Hamline  University,  under  the  control  of  the 
Methodists;  St.  Thomas', a  Catholic  school;  and  the  new 
Hill  University  for  the  training  of  Catholic  priests,  liber- 
ally endowed  by  J.  J.  Hill. 


The  Twin  Cities  of  Minnesota.  31 

St.  Paul's  Lake  Resorts. — White  Bear  Lake  is  the 
most  popular  summer  resort  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of 
St.  Paul.  It  is  reached  by  the  St.  Paul  &  Duluth  railroad 
in  about  half-an-hour,  and  by  electric  cars  from  East 
Seventh  street  in  about  45  minutes. 

It  is  about  nine  miles  in  circumference.  Its  picturesque 
shores  are  lined  with  summer  hotels,  excursion  and  picnic 
resorts,  and  beautiful  villas,  and  a  large  wooded  island, 
recently  connected  with  the  mainland  by  a  causeway  and 
bridge,  has  been  laid  out  by  the  wealthy  residents  of  St. 
Paul  into  plats  of  summer  residences.  The  lake  affords 
excellent  fishing,  boating  and  bathing.  Bald  Eagle  lake, 
a  mile  beyond,  noted  for  its  scenery  and  good  opportunities 
for  fishing,  is  quite  popular  for  picnic  parties.  Lake  Elmo, 
on  the  Chicago,  St.  Paul,  Minneapolis  &  Omaha  railroad, 
twelve  miles  eastward  of  St.  Paul,  is  also  a  much  fre- 
quented summer  resort,  offering  great  attractions  for 
boating,  bathing  and  fishing. 

On  the  shores  of  Lake  Phalen,  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
city,  the  municipality  has  recently  established  a  park. 
Lake  Como  and  its  park  have  already  been  mentioned. 
Other  attractive  lakes  near  St.  Paul  are  Gervais,  Vadnais, 
McCaren's  and  Josephine,  all  lying  within  an  easy  drive 
from  the  hotels. 

Fort  Snelling. — This  military  post,  the  headquarters 
of  the  Department  of  Dakota,  was  established  in  1819,  with 
the  view  of  protecting  the  few  settlers  who,  at  so  early  a 
date,  were  brave  enough  to  penetrate  the  great  wilderness 
west  of  the  Mississippi.  The  fort  is  massively  built  on  the 
northern  bank  of  the  Minnesota  river,  just  at  its  junction 
with  the  Father  of  Waters.  The  situation  of  the  fort  is 
strikingly  picturesque,  its  white  walls  reared  upon  the 
brink  of  a  jutting  bluff  with  an  almost  vertical  face,  its  base 


32  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

being  washed  by  the  flood  one  hundred  feet  below.  Fort 
Snelling  was  finished  in  1822.  Its  form  was  circular,  and 
its  high  walls  were  broken  at  intervals  by  embrasures  for 
cannon  to  sweep  the  approaches.  It  has  since  undergone 
some  alterations;  but  the  original  structure  still  remains. 
This  fort  has  had  an  eventful  history,  having  witnessed 
many  scenes  of  savage  warfare.  It  is  still  one  of  the 
most  important  posts  in  the  West.  Fort  Snelling  is  about 
half  way  between  St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis,  being  con- 
nected with  the  main  road  by  a  long  iron  bridge  which 
airily  spans  the  Mississippi. 

The  Falls  of  Minnehaha. — This  beautiful  waterfall, 
made  immortal  by  Longfellow  in  his  poem  "  Hiawatha,"  is 
to  be  seen  on  the  road  toward  Minneapolis,  two  miles 
beyond  Fort  Snelling.  It  is  formed  by  an  abrupt  break  in 
the  bed  of  Little  Minnehaha  creek,  one  of  the  outlets  of 
Lake  Minnetonka.  This  stream  babbles  along  through 
miles  of  verdant  meadows  in  the  most  quiet  and  common- 
place way,  to  make  an  unexpected  leap  at  last  into  a  deep 
gorge,  and  find  itself  famous  and  beautiful.  In  a  recent 
issue  of  Harper  s  Magazine  the  Falls  of  Minnehaha  are 
aptly  characterized  by  Ernest  Ingersoll  in  this  wise: 

"The  outlet  of  Lake  Minnetonka  is  a  sparkling  little 
brook  that  encircles  the  city,  steals  through  the  wheat 
fields,  races  under  a  dark  culvert  where  the  phcebe  birds 
breed,  and  then,  with  most  gleeful  abandon,  leaps  off  a 
precipice  sixty  feet  straight  down  into  a  maple-shadowed* 
brier-choked  canon,  and  prattles  on  as  though  nothing  had 
happened  but  a  bit  of  childish  gymnastics. 
I  "It  is  very  charming,  this  rough  and  rock-hemmed  little 
gorge  through  the  woods  and  fern-brakes,  and  this -fraud- 
ulent little  beauty  of  a  cascade;  and  it  laughs  without  a 
prick  of  [conscience,  laughs  in  the  most  feminine  and  sil- 


The  Twin  Cities  of  Minnesota  33 

very  tones,  from  a  rainbow-tinted  and  smiling  face,  when 
you  remind  it  that  it  is  a  bewitching  little  thief  of  credit, 
— for  the  true  Minnehaha  is  over  on  the  brimming  river,  a 
slave  to  the  mills.  But,  right  or  wrong,  little  stream,  thou 
art  a  princess  among  all  the  cascades  of  the  world.  Thy 
beauty  grows  upon  us  and  lingers  in  our  minds  like 
that  of  a  lovely  child,  whether  we  wade  into  the  brown 
water  at  thy  feet,  scaring  the  happy  fishes  clustered  there, 
and  gaze  upward  at  the  snowy  festoons  that  with  a  soft, 
hissing  murmur  of  delight  chase  each  other  down  the  swift 
slope,  or  creep  to  thy  glassy  margin  above  and  try  to  count 
the  wavelets  crowding  to  glide  so  glibly  over  the  round, 
transparent  brink;  or  walk  behind  thy  veil  and  view  the 
green  valley  as  thou  seest  it,  through  the  silvery  and 
iridescent  haze  of  thy  mist  drapery.  Thou  hast  no  need 
of  a  poet's  pen  to  sing  thy  praise;  but  had  not  the  poet 
helped  thy  fraud,  enchanting  Minnehaha,  not  half  this 
daily  crowd  would  come  to  see  thee  and  to  drink  beer  on 
thy  banks,  and  murmur  maudlin  nonsense  about  Hiawatha 
and  his  mystical  maiden.  Nevertheless,  thou  art  the 
loveliest  of  cascades,  and  an  enchantress  whose  sins  can  be 
forgiven  because  of  thy  beauty." 

Minnehaha  Falls  can  be  conveniently  reached  from  their 
St.  Paul  or  Minneapolis — from  the  latter  by  electric  cars  and 
from  the  former  by  rail  from  the  Union  depot,  or  by  electric 
cars  to  either  Ft.  Snelling  or  Groveland  and  thence  by  small 
steamboat  on  the  Mississippi.  If  the  tourist  has  the  time  to 
re  for  a  carriage  drive,  the  route  from  St.  Paul  past  Snell- 
ing will  be  found  a  delightful  one.  The  Minnesota  Soldjers' 
1 1  me,  for  veterans  of  the  Civil  War,  is  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  falls  and  is  a  model  institution  of  its  kind. 

The  Inter-urban  District. — St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis 
are  connected  by    three    lines   of   railroad    owned    by    the 


69272 


34  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

Chicago,  Milwaukee  and  St.  Paul,  the  Great  Northern  and 
St.  Paul  &  Northern  Pacific  companies  and  by  an  electric 
line  running  cars  every  few  minutes.  Numerous  subur- 
ban villages  have  sprung  up  along  the  lines  of  these  roads, 
and  the  whole  territory  between  the  well-built  portions  of 
the  two  cities  is  fast  building  up  with  residences  and  man- 
ufacturing concerns.  The  corporate  limits  of  the  two 
municipalities  touch  each  other,  and  the  distance  between 
the  thickly  built  districts  is  only  about  five  miles.  St.  Paul 
and  Minneapolis  are  plainly  destined  to  become  a  single 
commercial  centre.  The  distance  from  the  western  limits 
of  Minneapolis  to  the  eastern  limits  of  St.  Paul  is  not  as 
great  as  that  from  the  extreme  northern  portion  of  Chi- 
cago to  its  southern  boundary.  By  the  time  the  present 
population  of  these  two  cities  shall  have  doubled,  the 
whole  territory  between  them  will  be  covered  with  build- 
ings. 

The  principal  suburban  towns  in  the  lnter-urban  district 
are  now  Merriam  Park  and  Union  Park;  Minnesota  Trans- 
fer, with  its  elevators,  stock  yards  and  twenty  miles  of 
track — one  of  the  most  important  transfer  points  in  Amer* 
ica;  Macalester  Park,  with  its  college;  Hamline,  with  its 
university;  St.  Anthony  Park;  Co/no,  with  its  beautiful 
lake;  and  the  suburb  surrounding  the  big  Northern 
Pacific  shops. 

Minneapolis. — The  beautiful  and  prosperous  city  of 
Minneapolis  adjoins  St.  Paul  on  the  west  and  like  St.  Paul 
is  built  on  both  sides  of  the  Mississippi  river.  Originally 
it  consisted  of  two  villages, — St.  Anthony  on  the  east  side 
of  the  river,  close  by  the  falls  of  the  same  name,  which 
was  settled  as  a  milling  point  soon  after  the  foundation  of 
St.  Paul,  and  Minneapolis,  on  the  west  side,  the  growth  of 
which  was  long  delayed  by  the  fact  that  the  ground  was 


The  Twin  Cities  of  Minnesota.  35 

held  by  the  Government  as  a  part  of  the  Fort  Snelling 
Reservation  until  after  the  village  on  the  east  side  had 
obtained  considerable  size.  Soon  after  the  opening  of 
this  part  of  the  reservation  the  development  of  the  west 
side  went  forward  with  great  rapidity  and  the  two  places 
were  consolidated  into  one  city  with  the  pretty  invented 
name  of  Minneapolis,  which  is  half  Greek  and  half  Sioux 
in  its  origin  and  may  be  translated  to  mean  the  smoky  or 
cloudy  city.  Its  inventors  no  doubt  intended  it,  however 
as  a  contraction  of  Minnesota's  metropolis. 

Minneapolis  has  a  population  of  more  than  200,000 
and  is  the  heaviest  wheat-buying  city  in  the  country  and 
the  largest  flour-milling  city.  It  is  also  the  seat  of  an 
enormous  lumber  manufacturing  industry,  the  logs  for 
which  are  run  down  the  Mississippi  and  its  tributaries  and 
stored  in  great  booms.  The  industrial  spirit  is  paramount 
in  the  city  and  thriving  manufactories  of  woolens,  paper, 
farm  machinery  and  a  multitude  of  other  articles  are 
carried  on.  In  fact  the  place  is  often  nicknamed  the 
Western  Boston,  from  its  pushing  New  England  spirit  and 
its  success  in  a  great  variety  of  industrial  enterprises.  A 
large  part  of  the  population  is  of  New  England  birth  or  an- 
cestry. The  leading  foreign  elements  are  Scandinavian 
and  French-Canadian. 

The  topography  of  the  city  is  greatly  in  its  favor.  Sit- 
uated on  a  broad  plateau,  high  above  the  upper  level  of  the 
river  at  the  falls,  there  is  no  danger  from  overflow;  and  yet 
the  level  of  the  place  is  so  near  that  of  the  surrounding 
O  Mintry,  that  the  grades  to  and  from  the  city  admit  the 
construction  of  rail  and  wagon  roads  with  comparative 
ease,  while  the  subsoil  affords  a  foundation  upon  which  the 
most  massive  buildings  may  be  safely  erected.  The  rela- 
tion of  Minneapolis  to  the   surrounding  country  is    every- 


The  Twin  Cities  of  Minnesota.  37 

thing  that  could  be  desired.  The  city  lies  on  the  eastern 
border  of  the  great  wheat  belt  of  the  Golden  Northwest, 
and  on  the  southern  border  of  the  pine  and  hard-wood 
timber  region  of  Minnesota.  Here  the  wealth  of  raw  ma- 
terial naturally  finds  its  way  to  be  conveniently  converted 
into  flour  and  lumber  by  the  use  of  the  grand  waterpower, 
estimated  at  the  capacity  of  120, ooo-horse,  within  the  city, 
and  the  product  of  the  mills  is  afterward  forwarded  to  the 
markets  of  the  world. 

The  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  upon  which  the  prosperity  of 
Minneapolis  is  mainly  founded,  have  a  perpendicular 
height  of  eighteen  feet,  and  the  Mississippi  has  a  rapid 
descent  of  eighty-two  feet  within  the  limits  of  the  city. 
The  view  of  the  rapids  above  the  cataract  is  very  fine  ;  but 
the  picturesqueness  of  the  water-fall  has  been  sacrificed 
to  purposes  of  utility.  To  prevent  the  wearing  away  of 
the  ledge  of  rocks,  a  broad,  smooth  wooden  apron  has 
been  constructed  entirely  across  the  river,  sloping  from 
the  edge  of  the  fall  to  a  point  far  beyond  its  base,  and,  on. 
reaching  this,  the  water  slips  over,  calmly  and  unvexed. 
The  best  view  of  the  scene  is  from  the  magnificent  suspen- 
sion bridge  of  iron  which  spans  the  flood  in  graceful 
length,  and  with  picturesque  effect,  at  about  the  centre 
of  the  city.  From  this  vantage-point  an  outlook  is  ob- 
tained upon  the  railroad  tracks  that  stretch  along  below 
the  bluffs,  and  also  upon  the  river,  with  its  channel  above 
the  falls  almost  choked  with  booms  of  logs  that  are  to  be 
cut  into  lumber  by  the  extensive  mills  which  line  the 
shores.  The  water-power  is  used  for  drivingthe  machinery 
of  the  foundries,  woolen  mills  and  many  other  branches  of 
mechanical  industry  of  which  Minneapolis  is  the  seat. 

Minneapolis  is  regularly  laid  out,  broad  avenues  run- 
ning from  east  to  west,  crossed   by  streets  from  north  to 


gg  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

south.  The  thoroughfares  are  usually  eighty  feet  in 
width,  with  wide  sidewalks,  shaded  by  rows  of  forest 
trees.  There  are  many  imposing  business  blocks,  and  the 
residence  portion  of  the  city  is  attractive,  with  its  fine, 
spacious  houses,  and  well-kept  lawns  and  grounds.  On  the 
outskirts  of  the  city  are  thousands  of  pleasant  cottages, 
which  are  the  comfortable  homes  of  industrious  mechan- 
ics who  find  employment  in  the  mills  and  manufactories. 

The  business  center  of  the  city  of  Minneapolis  is  about 
ten  miles  distant  from  that  of  the  city  of  St.  Paul.  The 
two  places  are  frequently  called  the  twin  cities  of  Minne- 
sota, and  also  the  dual  metropolis  of  the  Northwest. 

The  most  notable  buildings  are  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce, the  Exposition  building,  the  Public  Library,  the 
new  Court  House  and  City  Hall,  the  Guaranty  Loan  build- 
ing, the  New  York  Life  Insurance  building,  the  Tribune 
building,  the  Corn  Exchange,  the  Lumber  Exchange,  the 
State  University,  many  handsome  churches,  the  High 
School  building,  the  West  hotel,  the  Syndicate  block,  the 
Union  depot,  and  the  flouring  mills  of  the  Washburn  and 
Pillsbury  companies.  Many  of  the  business  blocks  are 
built  of  stone,  and  present  lofty  and  handsome  architect- 
ural fronts.  The  importance  of  the  lumber  trade  may  be 
judged  by  the  fact  that  the  saw-mills  cut  annually  over 
300,000,000  feet  of  lumber,  100,000,000  shingles,  and  80,- 
000,000  lath.  The  annual  output  of  flour  is  about  6,000,- 
000  barrels.  Minneapolis  has  become  in  recent  years  the 
most  important  wheat  market  in  the  United  States.  The 
receipts  of  wheat  are  over  30,000,000  bushels  per  annum, 
a  larger  amount  than  is  received  in  either  Chicago  or  New 
York. 

The  best  points  from  which  to  enjoy  comprehensive 
views  of  the  city  are  the  tower  of  the  Exposition  building 


The   Twin  Cities  of  Minnesota.  39 

and  the  roof  of  the  tall  Guaranty  Loan  building.  To  see 
the  best  residence  district  tourists  are  advised  to  take  a 
carriage  drive  through  its  western  districts  as  far  as  the 
boulevard  which  skirts  Lake  Harriet  and  other  small 
lakes.  These  lakes  form  a  very  beautiful  suburban  feature 
and  their  shores  are  generally  improved  with  handsome 
homes  and  grounds.  The  leading  hotels  are  the  West  and 
the  Nicollet,  the  former  a  very  spacious,  handsome  and  well- 
built  structure,  hardly  surpassed  in  any  respect  by  any 
hotel  in  Chicago  or  New  York. 

The  Mammoth  Flour  Mills. — It  is  aptly  said  that  the 
history  of  the  flour  mills  of  Minneapolis  is  like  the  story  of 
Aladdin.  In  i860  the  product  was  30,000  barrels,  and  in  1893 
over  6,000,000  barrels.  There  are  twenty-six  mills  in  oper- 
ation, the  maximum  daily  capacity  of  all  being  32,000 
barrels.  An  idea  of  the  gigantic  proportions  which  this 
branch  of  this  industry  has  assumed  may  be  obtained  by 
remembering  that  the  number  of  barrels  of  flour  manufac- 
tured by  one  of  the  largest  mills  in  the  course  of  twenty- 
four  hours  is  greater  than  that  produced  by  an  average- 
sized  mill  in  the  course  of  a  year.  The  capacity  of  the 
largest  mill,  the  Pillsbury  "A/'  is  5,200  barrels  per  diem; 
that  of  the  Washburn  "A,"  3,000  barrels;  and  six  other 
mills  range  from  1,200  to  2,000  barrels  per  day.  The 
estimated  quantity  of  wheat  required  to  supply  the  mills 
in  1888  was  18,000,000  bushels.  The  capital  invested  in 
the  flour  milling  industry  is  enormous,  and  the  amount 
is  constantly  increasing.  This  is  the  result  of  the  changes 
in  the  mode  of  manufacturing  flour,  which  have  been 
almost  radical  within  the  past  twenty  years.  The  use  of 
the  old  mill-stone  has  given  place  to  the  system  of  gradual 
reduction  by  iron  rollers.  The  new  process  has  not  only 
raised  the  grade  of  flour  from  the  dark  and  inferior  quality 


40  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

formerly  produced,  to  the  standard  of  the  best  Hungarian 
fancy  brands,  but  has  increased  the  quantity  obtained  from 
the  grain,  as  well  as  the  capacity  of  the  mills;  thus  better 
flour  is  now  made  at  less  expense  than  that  which  the  in- 
ferior quality  previously  cost  to  manufacture.  The  flour 
of  the  Minnesota  mills  finds  a  ready  market  in  all  the 
Eastern  cities,  and  also  in  Great  Britain,  France,  Germany, 
Holland,  Spain  and  Italy.  Single  orders  are  frequently 
taken  for  from  10,000  to  15,000  barrels,  and  the  millers 
find  it  necessary,  in  securing  the  best  trade,  to  control  a 
great  manufacturing  capacity.  Otherwise  they  would  not 
be  able  to  fill  large  orders  promptly,  nor  obtain  that  uni- 
formity in  quality  without  which  both  the  foreign  and 
American  market  would  soon  be  lost.  Moreover,  there  is 
economy  both  in  the  construction  and  operation  of  a  large 
mill  over  a  small  one.  For  example,  the  cost  of  one  mill 
with  a  capacity  of  4,000  barrels  daily,  is  much  less  than  that 
of  sixteen  mills  of  250  barrels  capacity,  or  of  eight  mills  of 
500  barrels  capacity,  or  even  of  four  mills  of  1,000  barrels 
capacity.  The  relative  cost  of  operating  a  large  mill  is 
still  less,  and  the  chance  of  a  uniform  grade  of  flour  is  in- 
creased in  the  same  ratio  as  the  capacity  of  the  mill.  So 
medium-sized  mills,  a  few  years  ago  considered  the  safest 
and  most  profitable,  have  been  superseded  by  those  of 
great  capacity. 

In  order  that  some  idea  of  a  large  Minneapolis  flour 
mill  may  be  obtained,  the  following  facts  relating  to  the 
Pillsbury  "A"  mill  are  given.  This  establishment  is  180 
feet  in  length  by  115  in  width,  the  building  material  being 
Trenton  limestone,  rock-faced,  and  laid  in  courses  to  the 
height  of  seven  stories.  Inside,  on  the  basement  floor,  is 
a  stone  wall,  125  feet  in  length,  and  15  in  height,  which 
holds  the  water  from   the  canal  after  its   passage  from  the 


The   Twin  Cities  of  Minnesota,  41 

falls  before  it  descends  to  the  wheels.  Within  this  canal 
are  the  wheel-pits,  dug  out  of  the  solid  rock,  fifty-three 
feet  in  depth.  Inside  these  pits  are  flumes  of  boiler  iron, 
twelve  feet  in  diameter,  in  which  two  fifty-five  inch 
wheels,  each  weighing,  with  the  shafting,  thirteen  tons, 
are  placed.  The  hydraulic  power  of  a  column  of  water 
twelve  feet  in  diameter,  with  a  fall  of  fifty-three  feet,  is 
enormous.  Only  the  strongest  and  toughest  metal  could 
withstand  the  strain.  Seventeen  thousand  cubic  feet  of 
water  rushes  down  each  flume  every  minute,  and  the  com- 
bined force  of  the  wheels  is  estimated  at  2,400  horse- 
power, equivalent  to  that  of  twelve  steam  engines,  each  of 
200  horse-power.  This  power  is  geared  and  harnessed  to 
the  machinery  requisite  to  grind  25,000  bushels  of  wheat 
in  every  twenty-four  hours.  On  the  first  floor  there  are 
the  main  shafts  of  the  driving  apparatus,  with  pulleys 
twelve  feet  in  diameter,  weighing  13,000  ^pounds,  over 
which  runs  belting  of  double  thickness,  forty-eight  inches 
wide,  at  the  rate  of  4,260  feet  in  a  minute.  From  the 
shafts  also  run  thirty-inch  belts  perpendicularly  to  the 
attic  floor,  over  eight-foot  pulleys,  at  the  rate  of  2,664  feet 
per  minute,  furnishing  the  power  which  drives  the  bolting 
and  elevating  machinery.  There  are  other  pulleys  and 
belting  attached  to  the  shafts  for  operating  the  rollers  and 
purifiers,  the  electric  light  and  other  machinery.  On  this 
floor,  also,  is  the  wheat  bin  for  stowing  grain.  This  holds 
35,000  bushels,  and  extends  through  to  the  ceiling  of  the 
floor  above,  where  it  is  connected  with  the  weighing  hop- 
per. On  the  second  floor  the  wheat  is  ground;  the  third 
floor  is  mainly  devoted  to  packing;  the  fourth,  fifth,  sixth 
and  seventh  floors  are  filled  with  bolting  chests,  mid- 
dlings-purifiers, bran-dusters  and  other  machinery.  Before 
going  to  the  rollers  to  be  ground  into  flour,  the  wheat  is 


42  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

cleansed  by  passing  through  eight  different  sets  of 
machinery.  It  is  purged  in  this  manner  of  wire,  nails, 
cockle,  small  and  imperfect  kernels,  and  becomes  actually 
polished  before  it  is  converted  into  flour.  On  the  packing 
floor  the  flour  is  discharged  constantly  from  twenty-four 
spouts,  and  accumulates  so  fast  that  a  car  is  either  loaded 
with  flour  or  bran  every  twenty-five  minutes  throughout 
the  day.  Any  lack  of  transportation  facilities  at  once 
clogs  the  mill.  To  every  bushel  of  wheat  there  are 
thirteen  pounds  of  bran  or  shorts;  but  for  this  "offal" 
there  is  a  steady  demand  on  the  part  of  stock-raisers  in 
the  East.  There  are  railroad  tracks  on  either  side  of  the 
mill,  and  the  loading  and  unloading  methods  are  complete. 
The  establishment  is  provided  with  fire  apparatus,  electric 
lights,  passenger  elevator,  machine  shop,  and  every  appli- 
ance for  its  convenient  working.  In  fact,  it  is  one  of  the 
model  flouring  mills  of  Minneapolis,  and  the  visitor  who 
examines  its  features  in  detail  will  be  well  repaid. 

The  process  of  manufacturing  flour  in  a  typical  Minne- 
apolis mill  is  clearly  described  by  Ernest  Ingersoll,  in 
Harper* s  Magazine: 

"When  the  wheat  comes  in  it  is  unloaded  from  the  cars 
by  the  aid  of  steam  shovels  into  a  hopper  bin,  whence  it  is 
elevated  to  the  fifth  floor  and  fed  into  a  receiving  bin,  the 
bottom  of  which  extends  down  to  the  fourth  floor.  Out 
of  this  it  empties  itself  into  conveyors,  consisting  of  small 
buckets  traveling  upon  an  endless  belt,  and  is  taken  to 
storage  bins  on  the  first  and  second  floors.  Here  it  rests 
until  wanted  for  milling.  When  this  time  comes  the  wheat 
travels  by  conveyors  to  the  top  floor,  whence  it  is  fed  down 
into  the  grain  separators  in  the  story  beneath,  which  sift 
out  the  chaff,  straw,  and  other  foreign  matter.  This  done, 
it  descends  another  story  upon  patented  grading  screens, 


The   Twin  Cities  of  Minnesota,  43 

which  sort  out  the  larger  sized  grains  from  the  smaller,  the 
latter  falling  through  the  meshes  of  the  screen,  after  which 
the  selected  portion  drops  into  the  cockles  on  the  floor  be- 
neath, and,  these  escaped,  falls  still  further,  into  the  brush 
machines.  All  this  time  the  wheat  remains  wheat — the 
kernel  is  entire.  Its  next  move,  however,  begins  its  des- 
truction; for  now  the  ending  stones  are  encountered, which 
break  the  germinal  point  off  each  grain.  This  matter 
accomplished,  the  wheat  is  shot  away  up  to  the  attic  again 
and,  traversing  the  whole  length  of  the  mill,  falls  into  an 
aspirator  on  the  seventh  floor;  having  passed  which  it 
slides  down  to  the  second  floor,  and  is  sent  through  the 
corrugated  rollers.  These  rollers  have  shallow  grooves 
cut  spirally  upon  them,  with  rounded  ridges  between. 
The  opposing  rollers  are  grooved  in  an  opposite  direction, 
and  it  is  impossible  for  a  grain  of  wheat  to  get  through 
without  being  cracked  in  two,  though  the  rollers  are  not 
sufficiently  near  together  to  do  much  more  than  that. 
It  comes  out  of  this  ordeal  looking  as  though  mice  had 
chewed  it,  and,  pouring  into  special  conveyors,  speedily 
finds  itself  up  on  the  seventh  floor  again,  where  the  flour 
dust  which  has  been  produced  by  this  rough  handling  is 
bolted  out  in  reels,  and  all  that  is  left — no  longer  wheat — 
is  divided  into  'middlings*  and  'tailings/  The  tailings  con- 
sist of  the  hard  seed-case  and  the  refuse  part,  and  go  into 
market  as  '  feedr  and  'bran/  while  the  middlings  are  re- 
served for  further  perfection  into  flour:  they  are  the 
starchy,  good  centres  of  the  grains. 

"  The  first  operation  toward  this  end  is  the  grading  of 
the  middlings,  for  which  purpose  they  pass  upon  silken 
sieves  arranged  in  narrow  horizontal  troughs,  and  given  a 
gentle  shaking  motion  by  machinery.  There  is  a  succes- 
sion of  these  bolting  cloths,    so   that  the   middlings    pass 


44  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

through  ten  gradings.  Next  they  go  to  a  series  of  puri- 
fiers, which  resemble  fanning  machines,  and  thence  to 
corrugated  rollers,  each  successive  set  of  which  are  more 
closely  apposed,  where  the  meal  is  ground  finer  and  finer. 
There  are  five  of  these  corrugations  in  all,  and  between 
each  occurs  a  process  of  bolting  to  get  rid  of  the  waste, 
and  a  journey  from  bottom  to  top  of  the  mill  and  back 
again.  Nevertheless,  in  spite  of  all  this  bolting,  there  re- 
mains a  large  quantity  of  dust,  which  must  be  removed  in 
order  to  make  the  flour  of  the  best  quality.  And  hereby 
hangs  a  tale  of  considerable  interest  to  Minneapolis  men: 

"  In  the  old  mill  which  not  long  ago  occupied  the  site 
of  this  new  one  there  stood  upon  one  side  the  usual  rows 
of  buhrs,  in  this  case  twenty  in  number.  Through  the 
conveyor  boxes  connected  with  them  was  drawn  a  strong 
current  of  air  that  took  up  all  the  fine  particles  of  flour 
dust,  and  wafted  it  with  the  strength  of  a  tempest  into  two 
dust-rooms,  where  it  was  allowed  to  settle.  The  daily 
deposit  was  about  three  thousand  pounds,  which  was 
removed  every  morning.  In  addition  to  these  small 
chambers,  there  were  several  purifiers  on  the  upper  floors, 
that  discharged  their  dust  right  out  into  the  room.  The 
atmosphere  of  the  whole  mill  thus  became  surcharged 
with  exceedingly  minute  and  fuzzy  particles,  which  are 
very  inflammable,  and,  when  mixed  in  certain  proportions 
with  the  air,  highly  explosive.  Thismixturehad  apparently 
been  brought  by  the  millers  to  just  about  the  right  point, 
when  fate  supplied  a  torch.  A  piece  of  wire  fell  between 
the  buhr  stones,  or  into  some  rollers,  and  began  a  lightning 
express  journey  through  the  machinery,  in  the  course  of 
which  it  became  red  hot,  when  it  found  an  exit,  and 
plunged  out  into  the  air.  It  was  a  most  startling  instance 
of  the  conversion  of  heat  into,  motion.     A  lighted  match 


The  Twin  Cities  of  Minnesota.  45 

in  a  keg  of  powder  is  the  only  analogy  to  illustrate  the 
result.  One  room  down  stairs  burst  into  flames,  and  the 
watchman  had  only  time  to  pull  the  electric  fire  alarm 
near  his  hand,  when  he  and  the  mill  together  disappeared 
from  the  face  of  the  earth.  A  terrific  explosion,  generated 
throughout  that  great  factory  in  an  instant,  rent  all  parts 
of  the  immense  structure  as  suddenly  as  a  child  knocks 
over  a  tower  of  cards,  leaving  nothing  but  blazing  ruins  to 
show  where,  a  twinkling  before,  had  stood  the  largest 
flour  mill  in  the  country.  Nor  was  this  all.  The  land 
was  dug  from  under  the  foundations,  and  the  massive 
machinery  buried  out  of  sight.  Two  other  mills  and  an 
elevator  near  by  were  demolished,  so  that  not  one  stone 
remained  above  another  ;  while  of  three  other  miHs, 
cracked  and  tottering  walls  and  charred  interiors  were  the 
only  mementoes  of  the  day's  flourishing  business. 

"The  good  that  came  out  of  this  seemingly  wholly 
harmful  episode,  which  scratched  an  end  mark  to  one  era 
of  the  city's  prosperity,  was  the  introduction  into  the  new 
mills  of  asystem  of  dust-saving  that  renders  such  a  calamity 
improbable,  if  not  impossible,  in  future.  Now,  instead  of 
being  thrown  abroad  into  a  large  room,  the  dust  is  dis- 
charged by  suction  pans  into  close  fire-proof  receivers, 
where  it  accumulates  in  great  quantities,  and  is  sold  as  a 
low  grade  of  flour.  This  dust  having  been  removed,  what 
remains  is  the  best  quality  of  flour.  It  is  barreled  by  the 
aid  of  a  machine  permitting  the  precise  weight  of  196 
pounds  to  be  determined,  packed  and  branded  with  great 
speed. 

M  Bakers,  however,  use  what  is  known  as  '  wheat '  or 
*  straight '  flour,  which  is  the  product  of  the  five  reduc- 
tions, all  the  subsequent  processes  through  which  the  mid- 
dlings pass  in  making  fine  flour  being  omitted.     *  Fancy' 


46  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

flour  differs  from  the  ordinary  superfine  in  that  the  mid- 
dlings are  ground  through  smooth  rollers." 

Lake  Minnetonka. — Fifteen  miles  west  of  Minneapolis 
lies  Lake  Minnetonka,  the  most  popular  summer  resort  of 
Minnesota.  It  is  a  beautiful  sheet  of  water,  about  twenty- 
miles  long,  of  very  irregular  form,  having  a  varying  width 
of  from  half  a  mile  to  three  miles.  Its  shores  are  bold  and 
prettily  wooded  with  oak  groves,  affording  admirable  sites 
for  summer  residences.  A  large  number  of  visitors  come 
every  summer  to  Minnetonka  from  the  Southern  States, 
attracted  by  the  cool  and  agreeable  climate,  the  excellent 
hotels  and  facilities  for  boating  and  out-door  life.  The 
principal  hotel  is  the  Lafayette,  which  is  capable  of  accom- 
modating 1,200  guests,  and  is  equaled  in  size,  architectural 
beauty,  and  the  comforts  it  affords,  by  very  few  of  the 
great  summer-resort  hotels  of  the  East.  The  Lake  Park 
Hotel  has  room  for  about  500  guests,  the  St.  Louis  for 
about  300,  and  numerous  other  summer  hotels  and  private 
cottages  have  summer  boarders.  A  fleet  of  nearly  a  score 
of  steamboats,  large  and  small,  ply  upon  the  lake,  and 
hourly  trains  are  run  during  the  season  to  and  from  St. 
Paul  and  Minneapolis. 

Hundreds  of  pretty  cottages  fringe  the  shores,  each 
with  its  lawns,  boat  house  and  carriage  house.  A  drive 
fifty  miles  long  makes  the  entire  circuit  of  the  lake.  There 
are  two  pretty  villages  on  the  lake,  Wayzata  and  Excelsior, 
each  having  a  number  of  small  hotels  and  boarding  houses. 
The  Upper  Mississippi  Valley. —  The  Northern  Pa- 
cific crosses  the  Mississippi  river  twice  within  the  limits 
of  Minneapolis,  first  on  a  magnificent  stone  arch  bridge, 
just  below  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony  and  in  sight  of  all  the 
large  flouring  mills,  and  then  in  the  upper  part  of  the  city, 
on  a  steel  bridge,  from  which  the  principal  saw-mills  and 


48  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

the  great  log  booms  may  be  seen.  The  road  after  leaving 
the  city  follows  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi  for  ninety- 
seven  miles,  to  Little  Falls.  The  river  was  formerly  navi- 
gated by  steamboats  on  this  part  of  its  course,  but  now 
there  are  two  railroads  on  the  east  bank  and  one  on  the 
west  bank  and  the  boats  have  been  driven  off,  so  that  the 
only  commercial  function  of  the  river  is  for  running  logs 
from  the  pineries  down  to  the  Minneapolis  and  other 
mills.  The  valley  presents  many  pleasing  features  of 
scenery.  Occasional  glimpses  are  caught  from  the  car 
windows  of  placid  stretches  of  the  river,  which  every- 
where flows  between  low,  wooded  banks.  Many  neat 
villages  are  passed.  The  country  is  well-cultivated  and 
the  farms  have  a  prosperous  look.  A  chief  crop  is  Indian 
corn,  which  flourishes  in  spite  of  the  high  northern  lati- 
tude, because  of  the  warm,  sandy  soil  and  the  protection 
afforded  by  the  numerous  belts  of  woodland  from  cold 
winds. 

The  Overland  Train. — Although  an  every-day  occur- 
rence, it  is  always  an  interesting  and  impressive  sight  to 
watch  a  Northern  Pacific  through  train  wind  like  a  huge 
serpent  slowly  out  of  the  shadows  of  the  Union  depot  at 
St.  Paul,  as  it  starts  on  its  long  journey  of  two  thousand 
rniles  to  the  Pacific  coast.  It  is  more  impressive,  perhaps, 
to  one  who  has  made  the  trip;  for  while  it  is  rounding  the 
curve  in  the  yards  he  will  think  of  it  scudding  across  the 
level  prairies  between  the  Red  river  and  the  Missouri, 
following  its  tortuous  path  through  the  Bad  Lands,  climb- 
ing the  eastern  slope  of  the  Rockies  and  hurrying  on  to  the 
still  harder  climb  over  the  Cascades,  then  bowling  easily 
toward  the  ocean,  as  if  conscious  that  its  struggles  were 
over  for  a  time.  He  will  hear  the  dismal  creak  of  the 
wheels  as  the  train  crawls  like  a  mere  worm  around  some 


The  Overland  Train.  49 

huge  mountain,  and  may  be  catch  the  rebounding  echo  of 
the  engines'  labored  breath  that  breaks  in  upon  the  awful 
stillness  of  the  gorge. 

The  mail,  express  and  baggage  cars,  the  tourist  cars, 
the  smoker,  the  day  coaches,  the  dining  car  and  the  sleep- 
ing cars  altogether  make  a  handsome  train.  The  com- 
fortable tourist  cars  are  usually  filled  with  immigrants, 
but  frequently  with  fairly  well-to-do  families  from  the 
East,  to  whom  these  cars  offer  conveniences  not  to  be  had 
elsewhere.  Local  male  passengers  generally  occupy  the 
smoker,  and  the  luxurious  day  coaches  carry  both  local 
and  through  passengers.  The  "  diner,"  another  popular 
feature  of  the  N.  P.,  serves  breakfast  at  7,  lunch  at  12, 
and  dinner  at  6  o'clock,  at  a  uniform  price  of  seventy-five 
cents,  with  an  attractive  menu  at  each.  It  answers  also 
as  a  sort  of  club  room  between  meals,  where  gentlemen 
may  enjoy  the  liquid  contents  of  a  well-stocked  sideboard, 
with  good  cigars  and  plenty  of  room,  and  wide,  deep 
windows  through  which  to  view  the  varying  scenery. 
The  conductor  of  this  car  goes  through  to  Portland  with 
his  cooks  and  waiters,  as  does  each  of  the  Pullman  con- 
ductors. This  means  that  they  travel  eight  to  twelve 
thousand  miles  a  month  and  that  two-thirds  to  three- 
fourths  of  their  year  is  spent  on  wheels  moving  over  six 
big  States.  The  conductor  in  charge  of  the  train,  his 
brakemen,  baggageman,  engineer  and  fireman  are  changed 
many  times  between  St.  Paul  and  Portland,  each  crew  hav- 
ing a  run  of  from  two  hundred  to  three  hundred  miles. 
The  ten  or  fifteen  minutes'  wait  while  the  engine  is  taken 
to  the  roundhouse  and  another  brought  out,  is  usually 
taken  advantage  of,  in  the  daytime,  by  both  ladies  and 
gentlemen  to  indulge  in  a  walk  up  and  down  the  long 
platform  and  to  fill  their  lun^s  with  prairie  ozone  or 
iring  mountain  air. 


50  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

Anoka  (29  miles  from  St.  Paul). — This  town,  the 
county  seat  of  the  county  of  the  same  name,  is  situated 
twenty  miles  from  Minneapolis,  at  the  mouth  of  Rum 
river,  one  of  the  most  important  logging  streams  in  the 
Northwest.  Anoka  has  6,000  inhabitants,  and  is  aflourish- 
ing  manufacturing  town,  being  principally  engaged  in  the 
sawing  of  lumber  and  the  grinding  of  wheat.  Rum 
river,  crossed  by  the  railroad  at  Anoka,  is  the  outlet  of 
Mille  Lac,  the  second  largest  lake  in  Minnesota. 

Elk  River  (41  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  1,500) 
is  the  county  seat  of  Sherburne  county,  and  is  located  on 
the  Mississippi  at  the  mouth  of  the  Elk  river,  a  logging 
stream  heading  in  the  great  pineries.  The  town  has  a 
water  power,  and  manufactures  flour  and  lumber. 

St.  Cloud  (76  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  8,000) 
is  one  of  the  most  important  manufacturing  and  commer- 
cial towns  and  railroad  centers  in  Northern  Minnesota.  It 
is  the  county  seat  of  Stearns  county,  one  of  the  most 
prosperous  agricultural  counties  in  the  State,  and  has 
many  fine  public  and  private  buildings.  One  of  the  State 
Normal  schools  is  located  here,  and  the  city  is  also  the  seat 
of  a  Catholic  bishop.  The  city  is  built  upon  a  high 
plateau,  about  fifty  feet  above  the  Mississippi,  and  most  of 
its  business  blocks  are  built  of  yellow  brick. 

Here  are  a  number  of  valuable  granite  quarries  situated 
at  distances  varying  from  one  to  four  miles  from  the  city, 
on  both  sides  of  the  Mississippi  river,  which  furnish 
excellent  material  for  building,  paving,  etc.  At  one  of 
these  quarries,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Mississippi,  the 
State  of  Minnesota  is  erecting  a  reformatory,  employing 
the  convicts  in  stone  cutting.  Jasper  is  also  quarried  near 
St.  Cloud.  The  Mississippi  is  dammed  just  below  the  city 
and  furnishes  a   valuable  water-power  which  is  used  for 


Little  Falls,  51 

various  manufacturing  enterprises.  East  St.  Cloud  is  a 
suburb  in  Benton  county,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  river, 
and  is  connected  with  the  city  by  a  steel  bridge. 

Sauk  Rapids  (77  miles  from  St.  Paul  ;  population, 
^200). — This  village,  the  county  seat  of  Benton  county, 
lies  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi  river,  at  the  falls  of 
Sauk  Rapids,  from  which  its  name  is  derived.  The  Mis- 
sissippi river  at  this  point  is  600  feet  wide,  and  has  a  fall 
of  eighteen  feet  in  one  mile.  There  are  extensive  beds  of 
granite  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  the  stone,  it  is  said, 
being  equal  to  the  celebrated  Quincy  granite  of  New 
England,  varying  only  in  color.  A  fine  water-power  is 
furnished  by  the  rapids  which  begin  where  the  Sauk  river 
enters  from  the  west,  at  the  upper  end  of  the  village.  The 
rapids  continue  over  a  bed  of  granite  a  distance  of  half  a 
mile,  and,  viewed  from  either  bank,  present  a  picture  of 
great  beauty. 

Royalton  (95  miles  north  of  St.  Paul  ;  population, 
800). — It  is  situated  two  miles  east  of  the  Mississippi  river, 
in  the  midst  of  a  prairie  dotted  with  groves  of  hard-wood 
trees.  The  Platte  river  affords  a  water-power.  The  town 
is  a  centre  for  farming  and  lumbering  trade. 

Little  Falls  (105  miles  northwest  of  St.  Paul  ;  popu- 
lation, 3,000). — This  town  was  named  from  a  fall  in  the 
Mississippi  river.  It  has  one  of  the  best  water-powers  in 
the  United  States,  constructed  in  1887-88,  at  an  expense 
of  $250,000.  The  dam  rests  upon  a  solid  rock  bed,  and  is 
firmly  supported  by  a  rocky  island  in  the  centre  of  the 
river.  The  water-power  is  utilized  by  flouring-mills  and 
factories,  and  the  town  is  evidently  destined  to  become  an 
important  centre  of  manufacturing  industry.  It  is  built 
on  both  sides  of  the  Mississippi  river,  on  a  sandy  plateau. 
It  is  the  county  seat  of  Morrison  county,  and  the  junction 


52  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

of  the  Little  Falls  &  Dakota  branch  and  the  Brainerd 
branch  of  the  Northern  Pacific  R.  R.  with  the  main  line. 
Two  handsome  and  commodious  modern  hotels  accommo- 
date Sportsmen,  summer  visitors,  and  travelers.  There  is 
good  shooting  for  deer  in  the  big  woods  west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, and  for  ducks  along  the  river  and  on  the  numerous 
lakes  and  ponds  in  the  region.  One  of  the  largest  saw- 
mills in  the  State  is  located  here.  Brick  making  is  an 
important  industry.  The  court  house  is  a  handsome 
and  conspicuous  structure. 

The  scenery  near  Little  Falls  is  diversified  and  inter- 
esting. Finely  wooded  bluffs  cropping  up  between  rich 
prairies  make  the  neighborhood  favorable  for  hunting. 
Five  miles  east  is  a  pleasant  inland  lake  named  Rice  lake, 
from  the  large  quantity  of  wild  rice  growing  around  its 
shores.  This  is  a  resort  for  wild  ducks,  and  in  season 
large  numbers  are  bagged.  The  woods  abound  with 
partridge,  and  the  prairies  with  grouse,  or  prairie  chickens 
while  deer  are  found  in  great  numbers  within  easy  distance. 

A  Wilderness  Region. — The  through  trains  on  the 
Northern  Pacific  formerly  ran  by  way  of  Brainerd,  fol- 
lowing the  Mississippi  to  that  town  before  turning  west- 
ward, but  a  cut  off  line  was  built  a  few  years  ago  from 
Little  Falls  to  Staples,  which  shortened  the  distance  25 
miles.  The  road  crosses  to  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi 
at  Little  Falls  and  for  about  30  miles  runs  through  a  forest 
of  hard-wood  trees,  mingled  with  pines,  where  cutting  oak 
ties  and  cord-wood  are  the  principal  industries.  The  soil 
is  good,  however,  and  farms  are  gradually  cleared  up. 
Fish-trap  and  Alexander  lakes,  at  Lincoln  station,  are 
recommended  as  excellent  fishing  ground  to  sportsmen 
who  enjoy  camping  out  and  roughing  it.  These  lakes 
have  bold,  picturesque  banks. 


Wadena.  53 

Staples  (142  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population  1,000)  is 
an  important  railway  junction  and  division  terminus  town, 
inhabited  chiefly  by  railroad  employes.  Here  the  Northern 
Pacific  line  from  Lake  Superior  joins  the  main  line.  Trains 
run  to  and  from  Brainerd,  Duluth,  Superior  and  Ashland 
in  connection  with  the  trains  to  and  from  the  Pacific 
Coast.  The  town  is  well-built  and  prosperous.  Before  the 
building  of  the  cut-off  line  it  was  a  mere  saw-mill  hamlet. 

Verndale  (153  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  1,000). 
— This  town  is  pleasantly  situated  in  Wadena  county,  in  the 
Wing  river  valley,  (one  of  the  most  fertile  and  beautiful 
valleys  of  the  Northwest),  of  which  it  is  the  commercial 
centre.  This  valley  is  twenty  miles  in  length,  by  five  or  six 
in  breadth,  and  consists  of  a  number  of  small  prairies  or 
openings,  so  admirably  arranged  by  nature  that  almost 
every  settler  has  timber  and  prairie.  The  village  is  about 
one  mile  east  of  the  river  in  a  beautiful  opening,  or  small 
prairie,  sheltered  on  the  north  and  west  by  a  dense  growth 
of  pines,  while  about  two  miles  south  and  east  can  be  seen 
the  dark  line  of  the  Big  Woods,  which  stretch  away  for 
many  miles. 

Wadena  (160  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  1,400). — 
This  town  is  the  county  seat  of  Wadena  county  and  is  the 
diverging  point  for  the  Northern  Pacific,  Fergus  and 
Black  Hills  railroad,  which  runs  westward  to  Milnor, 
North  Dakota,  120  miles  through  Fergus  Falls,  Brecken- 
ridge  and  Wahpeton.  The  country  adjacent  to  the  town 
is  a  slightly  rolling  prairie,  dotted  at  intervals  with  pic- 
turesque groves  and  strips  of  timber.  Oak,  poplar,  birch 
and  ash  are  the  most  common  growths.  A  few  miles 
north  of  the  town  begins  the  timber  line,  beyond  which 
lie  some  of  the  famous  logging  camps  of  Minnesota,  where 
are  found  large  tracts  of  white  and  yellow  pine. 


54  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

New  York  Mills  (172  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population 
500). — This  is  the  largest  Finnish  settlement  in  the  United 
States.  There  are  over  500  Finns  in  the  town,  and  nearly 
3,000  in  the  surrounding  country.  A  weekly  paper  is 
published  in  the  Finnish  language,  and  religious  services 
are  held  in  that  language  in  two  churches,  one  in  the 
town  and  one  about  six  miles  distant  in  the  country.  The 
Finns  have  only  commenced  emigrating  in  considerable 
numbers  during  the  past  twenty  years.  They  prefer 
Northern  Minnesota  to  any  region  in  the  West  because  of 
its  close  resemblance  in  climate,  scenery,  soil,  forests, 
lakes,  etc.,  to  Finland.  The  Finns  in  and  around  New 
York  Mills  are  engaged  in  lumbering,  farming,  and  the 
mechanical  trades.  The  Finns  are  an  educated  people  and 
all  read  and  write  their  own  language.  Finnish  is  an 
Asiatic  language  in  its  origin,  belonging  to  the  Turanian 
family,  and  is  kindred  to  the  Hungarian  and  Turkish. 
The  Finns  have  a  great  national  epic  poem,  called  the 
Kalevala,  which  embodies  the  mythology  and  poetry  of 
their  remote  ancestors. 

Perham  (183  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  1,200). — 
This  town  is  situated  in  the  northeastern  part  of  Otter  Tail 
county,  on  an  open  prairie  of  five  by  ten  miles  square. 
The  population  of  the  town  and  tributary  country  is  about 
half  German,  one-quarter  American,  and  the  other  quarter 
composed  of  Poles  and  Scandinavians.  There  is  a  flouring 
mill  in  the  place  and  several  minor  manufacturing  con- 
cerns. The  scenery  about  Perham  is  attractive.  In  com- 
ing from  the  East,  for  some  distance  nothing  can  be  seen 
but  pine  forests,  which  suddenly  open  into  a  beautiful 
rolling  prairie,  through  which  the  famous  Red  river  of 
the  North  passes.  To  the  right,  only  a  short  distance 
away,  lie  two  beautiful  lakes,   called   Big  and   Little  Pine 


Many  Lovely  Lakes.  55 

Lakes,  The  latter  is  about  two  miles  wide  and  four  miles 
long,  while  the  former  is  nearly  three  times  as  large.  The 
view  from  the  passing  train  is  very  pleasing. 

Many  Lovely  Lakes. — After  leaving  Perham  there  are 
lakes  without  number,  which,  to  travelers  from  Eastern 
cities,  would  be  considered  marvels  of  beauty.  All  of 
these  lie  in  sight  of  this  thriving  town.  They  are  now  be- 
coming popular,  and  many  tourists,  spend  the  summer  on 
their  banks.  Among  these  resorts  is  Otter  Tail  Lake,  four 
miles  wide  and  eleven  miles  longv  It  is  situated  eight 
miles  south  of  the  town.  Marion  Lake,  three  miles  dis- 
tant, in  the  same  direction,  is  perhaps  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  in  diameter,  and  nearly  circular  in  form.  No  better 
hunting  ground  can  be  found  in  the  Northwest  than  that  sur- 
rounding Perham.  The  lakes  are  full  of  fish  of  every  de- 
scription, including  pickerel,  pike,  muskallonge,  black  and 
rock  bass,  catfish,  sunfish  and  whitefish.  In  spring  and  au- 
tumn ducks  and  geese  are  killed  in  great  numbers.  During 
the  season  the  prairie  and  groves  are  alive  with  quail,  grouse, 
swan,  brant,  woodcock,  prairie  chicken,  partridge,  snipe, 
curlew  and  rabbits.  In  early  winter  the  deer,  elk  and 
moose  are  an  easy  prey  to  the  sportsman. 

There  is  a  small  Indian  village  about  two  miles  from  the 
town.  These  Indians  are  Chippeways  who  belong  to  the 
White  Earth  reservation,  but  prefer  to  remain  in  their  old 
home.  They  are  self-supporting,  the  men  working  in  the 
pineries  and  the  harvest  fields,  and  the  women  gathering 
berries  for  sale. 

Frazee  (194  miles  from  St.  Paul,  population,  300). — 
This  town  has  one  of  the  largest  flouring  mills  west  of 
Minneapolis,  the  product  of  which  is  shipped  to  all  parts 
of  the  world.  There  is  also  a  large  saw  mill,  which  is 
supplied  with  timber   driven    down    the    Otter  Tail    river 


56  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

from  ten  to  twenty  miles.  Otter  Tail  river,  running 
through  the  town,  is  full  of  all  kinds  of  fish,  and  so  are 
the  numerous  lakes  that  find  an  outlet  through  this  river. 

Detroit  (204  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  2,000)  is 
the  county  seat  of  Becker  county,  and  is  situated  at  a 
beautiful  timber  opening,  the  surface  of  which  is  gently 
undulating,  the  soil  being  of  a  sandy  nature.  Half  a  mile 
east  of  the  village  runs  the  Pelican  river,  which  stream  is 
the  western  boundary  line  of  what  is  known  as  the  "  Big 
Woods"  of  Minnesota.  To  the  west  there  is  but  little 
timber,  and  on  the  north  the  country  is  about  equally 
divided  between  timber  and  prairie  land. 

South  of  Detroit  lies  what  is  known  as  the  Pelican  Lake 
country,  one  of  the  finest,  as  well  as  the  most  fertile  and 
beautiful  sections  of  Minnesota.  The  surrounding  region 
is  very  productive,  and  each  year  the  farmers  are  blessed 
with  abundant  crops,  for  which  a  good  and  ready  market 
is  always  found.  The  advantages  of  Detroit  are  many. 
Its  abundance  of  excellent  oak,  maple,  elm,  birch,  bass- 
wood,  tamarack  and  ash  timber,  suitable  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  all  articles  made  from  wood,  invites  industrial 
enterprise.  The  new  county  court  house,  erected  at  a  cost 
of  $25,000,  is  one  of  the  handsomest  buildings  of  its  class 
in  Northern  Minnesota. 

Prominent  among  the  features  of  this  section  are  its 
advantages  as  a  summer  resort.  Detroit  Lake,  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  sheets  of  water  in  Minnesota,  lies  only  half 
a  mile  from  the  business  portion  of  the  village.  Each  year 
it  becomes  more  popular  with  the  people  of  the  neighbor- 
ing towns,  and  also  with  those  who  are  accustomed  to  flee 
from  the  hot  and  dusty  cities,and  from  the  treeless  prairies, 
during  the  summer  months.  The  lake,  which  is  about  a 
mile  and  a  half  wide,  and  seven  miles  long,  in  form  some- 


Detroit  Lake.  57 

what  resembles  a  horeshoe,  with  a  sand-bar  reaching  from 
shore  to  shore,  about  midway  between  the  two  ends  of  the 
lake,  which  is  converted  into  a  most  delightful  driveway. 
Here  is  a  high  bank  towering  above  the  clear  waters  of 
the  lake,  and  there  the  broad  and  pebbly  beach,  with  an 
occasional  "  opening,"  where  a  sturdy  frontiersman  is  carv- 
ing out  a  farm.  To  the  east,  Detroit  mountain,  whose 
heights  are  covered  by  a  dense  growth  of  timber,  towers 
far  above  the  surronding  country,  lending  its  rugged 
charms  to  the  scene.  The  lake  is  stocked  with  all  kinds 
of  "  gamey  M  fish,  which  are  attraction  to  the  sportsman, 
the  variety  including  pickerel,  black  and  Oswego  bass, 
wall-eyed  pike,  perch,  and  also  California  salmon,  which 
were  planted  in  the  lake  some  time  ago  by  the  State  Fish 
Commissioner. 

The  Detroit  Lake  and  St.  Louis  Boat  Club  has  a  com- 
modious club  house,  and  a  number  of  cottages  on  the  lake. 
The  club  is  limited  to  ioo  members. 

Detroit  Lake  is  only  one  of  many  which  abound  in  the 
immediate  vicinity,  the  following  being  also  within  the 
township,  and  varying  from  one  to  four  miles  in  length  ; 
viz.,  Floyd  Lake y  Lake  Flora,  Lake  Rice,  Oak  Lake,  Edge r ton 
Lake,  Long  Lake  and  Lake  St.  Clair.  Here,  too,  are  mineral 
springs,  iron  and  sulpher,  the  health-giving  qualities  of 
which  have  been  known  to  the  Indians  for  many  genera- 
tions. The  Detroit  Lake  Pleasure  Grounds  are  the  most 
popular  place  of  amusement  in  Northern  Minnesota;  steam 
yachts,  as  well  as  sail  and  row  boats,  are  furnished  on 
these  grounds  to  visitors  at  a  small  cost.  A  steamboat 
makes  the  tour  of  the  lake. 

The  Hotel  Minnesota,  built  in  1884,  answers  the  double 
purpose  of  a  first-class  hotel  for  the  town,  and  of  a  sum- 
mer resort,  being   kept    open  the   year  round.     It   is  four 


58  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

stories  in  height,  with  wide  piazzas  and  well-furnished 
rooms.  In  its  architectural  and  general  management,  it  is 
entitled  to  rank  with  the  best  class  of  summer  resort 
hotels  in  the  State.  The  advantages  of  Detroit  for  sum- 
mer tourists  and  residents  are  numerous.  The  place  is 
situated  on  a  high  plateau,  near  the  headwaters  of  both 
the  Mississippi  and  the  Red  River  of  the  North.  This 
plateau  has  a  constant  sweep  of  the  cool  breeze  blowing 
over  the  great  Northwest  forests.  Excellent  drives  through 
woodland  and  farming  country,  with  numerous  lakes, 
are  here;  and,  for  both  fishing  and  hunting,  the  place  has 
few  rivals.  Although  the  country  immediately  surround- 
ing the  town  is  well  settled,  a  short  ride  brings  the  sports- 
man to  the  primeval  forests  where  elk,  moose  and  bear  are 
killed  in  large  numbers  every  year.  The  lake  abounds  in 
water  fowl  and  fish. 

The  White  Earth  Reservation. — Twenty-five  miles 
north  of  this  village  is  the  White  Eartn  Reservation  of  the 
Chippeway  Indians.  These  Indians,  who  call  themselves 
Ojibways,  have  always  been  the  friend  of  the  white  man. 
They  were  a  kindly  disposed  race,  and  contact  with  white 
men  had  dragged  them  down  into  a  depth  of  degradation 
never  known  to  their  fathers.  The  deadly  fire  water 
flowed  throughout  their  country,  and  disease,  poverty  and 
death  held  a  carnival  in  every  Indian  village.  Their  friends 
secured  for  them  this  beautiful  reservation,  as  fair  a 
country  as  the  sun  ever  shone  upon.  This  action  might 
have  been  prevented  by  the  pioneers  of  the  Northern 
Pacific  Railroad;  but  in  this  case,  as  in  every  other,  where 
the  rights  of  the  red  man  were  concerned,  the  railroad 
company  was  his  friend.  A  few  years  after  Bishop  Whip- 
ple had  commenced  his  mission  here,  the  treasurer  of  the 
company,    the  Bishop,  Lord  Charles    Hervey   and  others 


The  White  Earth  ReservattOfi,  59 

paid  the  Indians  a  visit.  The  Bishop  consecrated  their 
hospital,  and  held  confirmation.  After  the  services,  the 
Indians  made  a  feast  for  the  Bishop  and  his  frieads. 
When  all  had  eaten,  the  chief,  Wah-bon-a-quot  arose,  and 
addressing  the  Bishop,  said:  "We  are  glad  to  see  our 
friends.  Do  they  know  the  history  of  the  Ojibways?  If 
not,  I  will  tell  them."  In  a  few  graphic  words  he  described 
the  Indians  as  they  were  before  the  white  man  came.  The 
woods  and  prairies  were  full  of  game,  the  lakes  and  forests 
with  fish,  and  the  wild  rice  brought  its  harvest.  "Hunger 
never  came  to  our  wigwam,"  said  he.  "Would  your 
friends  like  to  see  us  as  we  were  before  the  white  man 
came?"  Suddenly  there  appeared  a  tall,  athletic  Indian, 
with  painted  face,  and  dressed  in  a  robe  of  skins  orna- 
mented with  porcupine  quills;  and  by  his  side  a  pleasant- 
faced  woman  in  wild  dress.  "There,"  said  the  chief,  with 
eyes  gleaming  with  pride,  "  there  see  Ojibways  as  they 
were  before  the  white  man  came/'  Turning  to  his  guests, 
he  continued:  "Shall  I  tell  you  what  the  white  man  did 
for  us?"  Then  dropping  his  voice,  he  added,  "The 
white  man  told  us  we  were  poor;  we  had  no  books,  no 
fine  horses,  no  fine  canoes,  no  tools.  \  Give  us  your  land, 
and  you  shall  become  like  the  white  man/  I  can  not 
tell  the  story:  you  must  see  it."  Then  stepped  out  a  poor, 
ragged  wretch,  with  tattered  blanket,  and  face  covered 
with  mud;  by  his  side  a  more  dreadful  specimen  of  woman- 
hood. The  chief  raised  his  hands:  "Are  you  an  Objib- 
way?"  The  Indian  nodded.  Sadly  the  chief  said:  "Oh, 
Manitou,  how  came  this  ?  "  The  Indian  raised  a  black  bottle, 
and  spoke  one  word,  "Ishkotah  wabo  "  (fire  water).  "This 
is  the  gift  of  the  white  man."  It  went  like  an  electric 
thrill  through  every  heart,  and  brought  tears  to  many 
eyes.     The  chief  said:  "A  pale-faced  man  came  to  see  us. 


60  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

I  am  sorry  to  say  he  has  seen  me  and  my  fellows  drunk. 
He  told  a  wonderful  story  of  the  Son  of  the  Great  Spirit 
coming  to  save  men.  He  told  us  his  fathers  were  wild 
men;  that  this  religion  had  made  them  great,  and  what  it 
had  done  for  them  it  would  do  for  others.  We  did  not 
hear;  ours  ears  were  deaf;  our  hearts  were  heavy.  He 
came  again  and  again,  always  telling  one  story  of  Jesus, 
the  poor  man's  friend.  We  knew  each  summer,  that, 
when  the  sun  was  high  in  the  heavens,  the  Bishop  would 
come.  He  gave  us  a  red  minister.  At  last  we  heard. 
Shall  I  tell  you  what  this  religion  has  done  for  my  people? 
You  must  see."  There  stepped  out  a  young  Indian  in  a 
black  frock  coat;  by  his  side  a  woman  neatly  clad  in  a 
black  alpaca  dress.  "There,"  said  the  chief,  "there  is  only 
one  religion  which  can  take  a  man  in  the  mire  by  the  hand 
and  bid  him  look  and  call  God  his  Father." 

There  are  1,500  civilized  Indians  at  White  Earth.  They 
have  two  churches — Episcopal  church  and  Roman  Cath- 
olic. Visitors  are  always  received  with  kindness,  and  no 
excursion  on  the  line  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  will 
be  more  pleasant  than  a  visit  to  White  Earth. 

Lake  Park  (217  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  800). 
— This  is  an  active  business  town  in  the  western  part  of 
Becker  county,  situated  in  the  midst  of  a  rolling  prairie 
country,  interspersed  with  lakes  and  groves  of  hard-wood 
timber.  The  population  is  chiefly  Scandinavian.  The 
large  farms  of  Thomas  H.  Canfield  are  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. Mr.  Canfi'eld  has  five  sections,  most  of  which  is 
under  cultivation,  affording  employment  to  a  large  force 
of  men  and  teams.  The  principal  production  is  wheat; 
but  the  raising  of  blooded  stock  is  also  extensively 
engaged  in.  Lake  Park  is  situated  on  Flora  lake.  The  town 
has  a  summer  hotel,  accommodating  a  hundred  people. 


Hawley.  61 

Winnipeg  Junction  (225  miles  from  St.  Paul;  pop- 
ulation, 200)  is  a  new  place  created  by  the  building  of  the 
Duluth  &  Manitoba  road  in  1887,  which  runs  northward 
through  the  Red  river  valley  to  Crookston,  Minn.,  Grand 
Forks,  Grafton  and  Pembina,  North  Dakota,  and  Winni- 
peg, Manitoba,  257  miles. 

Hawley  (228  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  350). — 
The  town,  named  in  honor  of  Gen.  Joseph  R.  Hawley,  of 
Connecticut,  lies  in  the  depression  east  of  the  hills  which 
skirt  the  Red  river.  Its  population  is  largely  Scandinavian. 
From  the  town,  the  distance  is  but  a  few  minutes'  walk  to 
the  Buffalo  river,  where  there  are  two  flouring  mills.  Sil- 
ver Lake,  three  miles  south,  a  beautiful  body  of  water  cov- 
ering 300  acres,  is  an  excellent  fishing  resort.  Good  hunt- 
ing and  fishing  are  also  to  be  had  in  the  surrounding  coun- 
try, geese,  ducks  and  grouse  being  quite  plentiful,  while 
deer  and  bear  are  found  in  the  timber  regions  south- 
ward. 

Muskoda  (232  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  125). — 
Muskoda  is  an  Indian  word,  said  to  signify  "the  buffalo 
river/'  The  Buffalo  river  runs  adjacent  to  the  town,  and 
is  a  beautiful,  swiftly  flowing  stream,  fifty  feet  wide,  with 
high  timbered  bluffs  on  either  side.  It  iswell  adapted  to 
milling  purposes,  and  abounds  in  black  bass,  pike  and 
pickerel.  Lake  Maria,  two  and  a  half  miles  southeast  of 
Muskoda,  and  a  half-mile  south  of  the  Northern  Pacific 
track,  is  a  curiosity  in  itself,  inasmuch  as  it  is  not  known 
to  contain  a  living  thing,  although  every  other  lake  in  the 
region  is  full  of  fish.  This  lake  covers  300  acres,  and  is 
twelve  to  fifteen  feet  deep.  A  beautiful  forest  surrounds 
it,  and  its  shores  are  a  gravelly  beach.  Horseshoe  Lake% 
two  and  a  half  miles  north  of  the  Northern  Pacific  rail- 
road, covers  200  acres,  and  is  well  stocked  with  fish.     The 


6$  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

soil  of  the  surrounding  country  is  rich,  and  well  adapted 
to  the  production  of  cereals  and  grasses,  the  region  being 
noted  for  wheat  and  stock  raising.  There  are  a  number 
of  springs  here,  from  which  pure  water  flows  the  year 
round.  This  neighborhood  has  an  abundance  of  small 
game;  geese,  ducks,  prairie  chickens,  snipe  and  rabbits 
being  among  the  varieties.  In  former  years  the  countrv 
was  a  favorite  hunting  ground  of  the  Indians. 

The  Red  River  Valley. — We  now  enter  the  valley  of 
the  Red  river  of  the  North,  which  is  often  called  the 
u-  Bread  Basket  of  America,"  by  reason  of  its  enormous 
production  of  wheat.  The  land  is  nearly  level  and 
stretches  away  to  the  horizon  on  all  sides  with  no  elevations 
to  break  the  range  of  vision.  The  prominent  objects  are 
stacks  of  wheat  sheaves  after  harvest,  the  farm  buildings, 
the  grain  elevators  at  the  railway  stations  and  the  moving 
trains.  Every  object  seems  to  be  magnified  in  size.  This 
is  accounted  for  by  the  absence  of  really  large  objects  with 
which  the  eye  can  make  comparisons.  In  the  time  of 
growing  crops  the  whole  landscape  is  a  vast  sea  of  grain. 
The  Red  River  valley  is  about  250  miles  long  and  has  an 
average  breadth  of  about  fifty  miles.  It  lies  about  equally 
in  Minnesota  and  North  Dakota  and  extends  further  north 
to  Manitoba,  terminating  at  Lake  Winnipeg,  into  which 
the  Red  river  flows.  The  soil  is  everywhere  a  black,  rich 
loam,  having  a  depth  of  from  three  to  six  feet. 

The  farmers  and  other  residents  of  the  fertile  valley 
plain  of  the  Red  river  of  the  North  are  well  aware  that 
they  live  on  the  area  once  occupied  by  a  great  lake ;  for  its 
beaches,  having  the  form  of  smoothly  rounded  ridges  of 
gravel  and  sand  a  few  feet  high,  with  a  width  of  several 
rods,  are  observable  extending  horizontally  long  distances 
upon  each  of  the  slopes  which  rise  east  and  west  of  this 


64  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

broad,  flat  valley.  Hundreds  of  farmers  have  located  their 
buildings  on  these  beach  ridges  as  the  most  dry  and  sightly 
spots  on  their  land,,  affording  opportunity  for  perfectly 
drained  cellars  even  in  the  most  wet  spring  seasons,  and 
also  yielding  to  wells  dug  through  this  sand  and  gravel, 
better  water  than  is  usually  obtainable  in  wells  on  the 
adjacent  clay  areas.  While  each  of  these  farmers,  in  fact 
everyone  living  in  the  Red  River  valley,  recognizes  that  it 
is  an  old  lake  bed,  few  probably  are  aware  that  it  has 
become  for  this  reason  a  district  of  special  interest  to 
geologists,  who  have  traced  and  mapped  its  upper  shore 
along  a  distance  of  about  800  miles.    . 

Numerous  explorers  of  this  region,  from  Long  and 
Keating  in  1823,  to  Gen.  G.  K.  Warren  in  1868  and  Prof* 
N.  H.  Winchell  in  1872,  recognized  the  lacustrine  features 
of  the  valley  ;  and  the  last  named  geologist  first  gave  what 
is  now  generally  accepted  as  the  true  explanation  of  the 
lake's  existence;  namely,  that  it  was  produced  in  the 
closing  stage  of  the  glacial  period  by  the  dam  of  the  conti- 
nental ice-sheet  at  the  time  of  its  final  melting  away.  As 
the  border  of  the  ice-sheet  retreated  northward  along  the 
Red  River  valley,  drainage  from. that  area  could  not  flow 
as  now,  freely  to  the  north  through  Lake  Winnipeg  and 
into  the  ocean  at  Hudson  bay,  but  was  turned  by  the  ice- 
barrier  to  the  south  across  the  lowest  place  on  the  water- 
shed dividing  this  basin  from  that  of  the  Mississippi.  This 
lowest  point  is  found  at  Brown's  Valley  on  the  western 
boundary  of  Minnesota,  where  an  ancient  water  course 
about  125  feet  deep  and  a  mile  or  so  in  width  extends  from 
Lake  Traverse,  at  the  head  of  the  Bois  des  Sioux,  a  tribu- 
tary of  the  Red  river,  to  Big  Stone  lake,  through  which 
the  head  stream  of  the  Minnesota  river  passes  in  its  course 
to  the  Mississippi  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 


The  Red  River  Valley.  65 

Detailed  exploration  of  the  shore  lines  and  area  of  this* 
iake  was  begun  for  the  Minnesota  geological  survey  in  the 
years  1879  to  18S1  by  Warren  Upham,  under  the  direction 
of  Professor  Winchell,  the  State  geologist.  In  subsequent 
years  Mr.  Upham  was  employed  also  in  tracing  the  lake 
shores  through  North  Dakota  for  the  United  States  geo- 
logical survey,  and  through  Southern  Manitoba  to  the 
distance  of  a  hundred  miles  north  from  the  international 
boundary  to  the  Riding  mountain,  for  the  geological  sur- 
vey of  Canada.  For  the  last  named  survey,  also,  Mr.  J.B. 
Tyrrell  has  extended  the  exploration  of  the  shore  lines 
more  or  less  completely  for  200  miles  farther  north,  along 
the  Riding  and  Duck  mountains,  and  Porcupine  and  Pas- 
quia  hills,  west  of  Lakes  Manitoba  and  Winnipegosis,  to 
the  Saskatchewan  river. 

This  glacial  lake  was  named  by  Upham  in  1879  in  honor 
of  Louis  Agassiz,  the  first  prominent  advocate  of  the  theory 
of  the  formation  of  the  drift  by  the  land  ice;  and  the  out- 
flowing river,  whose  channel  is  now  occupied  by  Lakes 
Traverse  and  Big  Stone  and  Brown's  Valley,  was  also 
named  by  Upham  in  1883  the  River  Warren,  in  commemo- 
ration of  General  Warren's  admirable  work  in  the  U.  S. 
engineering  corps,  in  publishing  maps  and  reports  of  the 
Minnesota  and  Mississippi  river  surveys.  Two  special 
reports  of  Mr,  Upham's  exploration  of  Lake  Agassiz  have 
been  already  published,  the  first  in  1887  by  the  geological 
survey  of  the  United  States,  and  the  second  in  1890,  by 
that  of  Canada.  From  these  we  gather  the  following  notes 
and  descriptions  of  the  old  lake  area. 

nil  successive  levels  are  recorded  by  distinct  and 
approximately  parallel  beaches,  due  to  the  gradual  lower- 
ing of  the  outlet  by  the  erosion  of  the  channel  at  Brown's 
Valley,  and  these  are    named    principally  from    stations  on 


66  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

the  Breckenridge  and  Wahpeton  line  of  the  Great  North- 
ern railway  in  their  descending  order;  the  Herman,  Nor- 
cross,  Tintah,  Campbell  and  McCauleyville  beaches,  be- 
cause they  pass  through  or  near  these  stations  and  towns. 
The  highest,  or  Herman  Beach,  is  traced  in  Minnesota 
from  the  northern  end  of  Lake  Traverse  eastward  to  Her- 
man, and  thence  northward,  passing  a  few  miles  east  of 
Barnesville,  through  Muscoda,  on  the  Northern  Pacific 
railroad,  and  around  the  west  and  north  sides  of  Maple 
lake,  which  lies  about  twenty  miles  southeast  of  Crookston, 
beyond  which  it  goes  eastward  to  the  south  side  of  Red  and 
Rainy  lakes.  In  North  Dakota  the  Herman  shore  lies 
about  four  miles  west  of  Wheatland  on  the  Northern  Pacific 
railroad,  and  the  same  distance  west  of  Larimore  on  the 
Pacific  line  of  the  Great  Northern  railway.  On  the  inter- 
national boundary,  in  passing  from  North  Dakota  into 
Manitoba,  this  shore  coincides  with  the  escarpment  or 
front  of  the  Pembina  Mountain  plateau;  and  beyond 
passes  northwest  to  Brandon,  on  the  Assiniboine,  and 
thence  northeast  to  the  Riding  mountain. 

Levelling  along  this  highest  beach  shows  that  Lake 
Agassiz,  in  its  earliest  and  highest  stage,  was  nearly  200 
feet  deep  above  Moorhead  and  Fargo  ;  a  little  more  than 
300  feet  deep  above  Grand  Forks  and  Crookston;  about  450 
feet  above  Pembina,  St.  Vincent  and  Emerson,  and  about 
500  and  600  feet,  respectively,  above  Lakes  Manitoba  and 
Winnipeg.  The  length  of  Lake  Agassiz  is  estimated  to 
have  been  nearly  700  miles,  and  its  area  not  less  than 
110,000  square  miles,  exceeding  the  combined  areas  of  the 
five  great  lakes  tributary  to  the  St.  Lawrence. 

When  the  ice-border  was  so  far  melted  back  as  to  give 
outlets  northeastward  lower  than  the  River  Warren,  other 
beaches    marking  these    lower  levels    of  the    glacial    lake 


Moor  head,  67 

were  formed;  and  finally,  by  the  full  departure  of  the  ice, 
Lake  Agassiz  was  drained  away  to  its  present  representa- 
tive, Lake  Winnipeg.  The  entire  duration  of  Lake 
Agassiz,  estimated  from  the  amount  of  its  wave  action  in 
erosion  and  in  the  accumulation  of  beach  gravel  and  sand, 
is  estimated  by  Upham  to  have  been  only  about  1,000 
years,  and  the  time  of  its  existence  is  thought  to  have 
been  somewhere  from  6,000  to  10,000  years  ago. 

Glyndon  (241  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  450). — 
Glyndon  is  in  Clay  county  and  is  the  crossing  point  of  one 
of  the  lines  of  the  Great  Northern  railroad.  The  Barnes 
and  Tenney  farm,  4,000  acres  in  extent,  is  one  of  the  fea- 
tures of  the  locality,  affording  a  specimen  of  the  rich  and 
productive  agricultural  lands  which  surround  the  town. 

Moorhead  (250  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  4,000). 
— This  well-built  town,  in  lat.  460  51'  N.,  long.  96°  50' 
W.,  and  840  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  is  the  last  place 
on  the  line  of  the  Northern  Pacific  railroad  in  the  State 
of  Minnesota,  distant  251  miles  from  Duluth,  on  Lake 
Superior,  and  was  named  in  honor  of  W.  G.  Moorhead,  of 
Pennsylvania,  formerly  a  director  of  the  Northern  Pacific 
road.  It  is  the  county  seat  of  Clay  county,  advantageously 
situated  on  the  east  side  of  the  Red  river  of  the  North, 
immediately  opposite  the  city  of  Fargo,  North  Dak.,  with 
which  it  is  in  communication  by  means  of  bridges  which 
span  the  stream.  Moorhead  is  the  crossing  point  of  two 
trunk  railroads,  the  Northern  Pacific  and  the  Great  North- 
ern, and  the  diverging  point  of  the  Moorhead  &  Northern, 
from  Moorhead  to  Fisher's  Landing,  Minn.  It  is  the  seat 
of  one  of  the  State  Normal  schools  and  of  a  Norwegian 
college.  The  court  house  is  a  conspicuous  building  and 
the  Grand  Pacific  hotel  is  the  largest  hotel  building  in 
Northwestern  Minnesota. 


68  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

The  Red  River  of  the  North. — After  leaving  the  Moor- 
head  station  the  train  crosses  the  Red  river,  which  is  pretty 
sure  to  disappoint  the  tourist  by  its  small  size.  Most  of  the 
year  it  resembles  a  sluggish  canal,  but  in  the  spring  when  the 
snow  melts  it  becomes  a  raging  torrent.  Although  little 
used  by  commerce  in  these  days  of  railways  it  played  a 
great  role  in  the  development  of  the  Northwest  in  early 
times.  The  first  steamboat  that  navigated  its  waters  was 
built  largely  in  St.  Paul  and  hauled  in  sections  on  wagons 
across  the  forests  and  prairies.  This  boat  and  others 
which  were  built  later  ran  from  Fort  Abercrombie,  above 
Fargo,  to  Winnipeg,  carrying  supplies  to  the  Hudson  Bay 
company's  trading  posts  and  bringing  back  furs.  The 
goods  were  taken  up  the  Mississippi  to  St.  Cloud  and 
thence  hauled  to  the  Red  river  in  ox  carts  and  the  return 
cargo  of  furs  took  the  same  slow  route.  The  Red  river  of 
the  North  is  named  to  distinguish  it  from  the  Red  river  of 
Louisiana.  It  has  two  branches  which  meet  at  Wahpeton, 
the  Boisde  Sioux  rising  in  Lake  Traverse,and  the  Otter  Tail 
rising  in  numerous  lakes  in  Northern  Minnesota  (lat.  460); 
flows  due  north  a  distance  of  more  than  200  miles,  entering 
Lake  Winnipeg  in  the  northern  part  of  the  Province  of 
Manitoba.  The  Red  river  marks  the  boundary  between 
Minnesota  and  Dakota.  Its  elevation  above  the  sea  level 
at  Moorhead  and  Fargo  is  807  feet.  The  whole  valley  is 
well  watered  by  nature,  there  being  a  large  numer  of  small 
rivers  tributary  to  the  Red,  on  either  side,  which  perform 
the  double  office  of  supplyingwater  and  draining  the  land. 
The  most  important  of  these  streams  on  the  Minnesota 
side  are,  the  Buffalo,  Wild  Rice,  Marsh,  Sand  Hill,  Red 
lake,  Middle,  Tamarac,  Two  Rivers  and  Red  Grass. 
From  the  west  there  are  several  rivers  of  considerable  size, 
the   principal  being  the  Sheyenne,  Goose,  Turtle,  Forest, 


The  Red  River  of  the  North. 


69 


Park,  Tongue  and  Pembina.  All  of  these  have  branches, 
which  penetrate  the  level  prairie  in  every  direction,  afford- 
ing an  abundance  of  excellent  pure  water.  The  rivers  are, 
for  the  most  part,  skirted  with  a  good  growth  of  oak,  elm, 
soft  maple,  basswood,  ash  and  box  elder,  which  is  ample 
for  fuel  purposes.  Extensive  pine  lands  are  about  the 
headwaters  of  most  of  the  rivers  on  the  Minnesota  side. 


ACROSS  NORTH    DAKOTA. 


EV.  SMALLEY  writes  as  follows  in  the  Northwest 
m  Magazine:  North  Dakota  is  essentially  a  prairie 
State.  In  the  extreme  northern  part  there  is  a  region  of 
low  hills  covered  with  a  light  growth  of  timber,  and  in 
the  extreme  western  part  are  the  Bad  Lands  with  their 
picturesque  buttes  and  deep  ravines;  with  the  exception 
of  these  two  regions  and  the  bold  bluffs  which  everywhere 
skirt  the  Missouri  river,  the  whole  area  of  the  State  may 
be  described  as  prairie.  In  the  east  the  surface  is  almost 
level;  just  undulating  enough  to  carry  the  drainage  off  in 
small  streams  flowing  into  the  Red  river  of  the  North. 
Further  west  in  the  country  drained  by  the  Sheyenne  and 
James  rivers,  the  prairies  lie  in  long,  rolling  stretches  like 
the  swells  of  a  quiet  sea,  with  here  and  there  a  hill  domi- 
nating the  landscape.  Still  further  west  we  come  to  the 
region  known  as  the  Coteaux,  the  full  name  of  which,  on 
the  early  maps,  was  Plateau  du  Coteaux  du  Missouri. 
Here  there  are  no  streams,  and  the  country  may  be 
described  as  hilly  prairie  with  small  lakes  and  ponds  in 
the  depressions  which  receive  the  drainage.  The  crests  of 
the  hills  are  covered  with  boulders,  but  their  sides  and  the 
valleys  among  them  furnish  excellent  plow  land. 

West  of  the  Missouri  river  the  country  is  broken  by 
ranges  of  hills  and  buttes  crowned  with  sandstone,  and  is 
drained   by  a    number  of  small   rivers    flowing  into  the 

70 


Across  North  Dakota.  71 

Missouri;  this  is  the  country  of  both  farmers  and  stock 
raisers,  and  is  underlaid  with  seams  of  lignite  coal,  which 
crop  out  from  the  sides  of  the  bluffs  and  afford  cheap  and 
abundant  fuel  for  the  settlers.  Most  farmers  find  their 
own  winter  supply  of  coal  by  opening  up  a  vein  in  a  con- 
venient hillside  and  loading  their  wagons  with  a  few  hours' 
work  with  pick  and  shovel. 

Still  further  west  comes  the  singular  region  known  as 
the  Bad  Lands,  where  the  surface  of  the  earth  has  been 
torn  up  by  floods  and  devastated  by  fires  burning  the  coal 
veins,  and  where  the  landscapes  are  so  strange  and  weird, 
that  they  seem  to  have  been  dropped  down  from  the  moon. 
This  is  a  cattle  country  and  is  one  of  the  best  stock  ranges 
in  the  Northwest. 

The  width  of  North  Dakota  from  east  to  west  is  about 
350  miles.  The  settlement,  which  is  tolerably  dense  in 
the  extreme  eastern  part,  becomes  sparser  and  sparser  as 
you  go  west  until  you  reach  the  region  of  the  great  cattle 
ranges  in  the  extreme  western  part  of  the  State.  Speak- 
ing in  general  terms,  the  land  east  of  the  James  river  is 
either  actually  occupied  by  settlers  or  owned  by  non-resi- 
dents, but  some  districts  may  be  found  where  there  is  still 
vacant  land  open  to  homestead  entry,  and  there  is  a 
great  deal  of  land  on  the  market  at  very  moderate  prices, 
which  formerly  belonged  to  the  railroad  grant.  West  of 
the  James  river  there  is  not  a  single  county  in  which  good 
homestead  tracts  may  not  be  found  for  original  entry;  the 
opportunities  are  just  as  good  to  enter  land  in  these 
regions  as  they  were  ten  years  ago,  and  the  opportunities 
in  the  older  settled  portions  of  the  State  to  purchase  land 
are  equally  good;  in  fact,  land  is  what  the  State  has  a 
great  surplus  of.  Every  county  invites  new  settlers;  if 
the  newcomer  wants  to  go  into  one  of  the  Red  River  valley 


, r 


Across  North  Dakota.  73 

counties  where  wheat  farming  has  been  steadily  pursued 
with  success  for  ten,  twelve  or  fifteen  years,  he  must 
expect  to  pay  a  fair  price  for  land,  ranging  from  $6  to  $10 
an  acre  for  wild  land  up  to  $20  or  $30  for  cultivated  farms. 
The  further  west  you  go,  the  cheaper  you  find  the  land  to 
be,  because  the  country  is  newer  and  settlement  is  sparser, 
and  for  a  further  reason,  that  the  rainfall  diminishes  as 
you  go  west.  Crossing  the  State  from  east  to  west,  you 
pass  through  a  strictly  agricultural  region  with  abundant 
rainfall  for  general  farming;  then  you  come  into  a  coun- 
try where  farming  combined  with  stock-raising  pays  best, 
for  the  reason  that  a  large  wheat  yield  is  not  as  certain  as 
in  the  Red  River  valley.  In  the  extreme  western  part  of 
the  State  the  country  is  a  cattle  and  sheep  country.  But 
even  there  wheat  farming  has  been  carried  on  successfully 
by  men  who  thoroughly  understand  the  business.  For 
example,  at  Taylor,  ninety-four  miles  west  of  Bismarck,  is 
a  farm  which  has  been  cultivated  for  eight  years,  and 
which  has  averaged  during  that  period  fourteen  bushels  of 
wheat  to  the  acre — a  better  average  than  Minnesota  or 
Wisconsin  can  show  for  the  same  period.  So  also  in  the 
Coteaux  country,  which  is  especially  adapted  for  sheep 
and  cattle,  there  are  long  valleys  and  broad  depressions  in 
the  general  level  where  the  record  for  wheat  crops  for  the 
past  ten  years  is  almost  as  good  as  that  of  the  Red  river 
counties.  It  is,  therefore,  not  possible  to  divide  the  State 
into  strictly  defined  belts  or  districts  and  to  say  that  in 
one  grain-growing  is  the  proper  industry,  in  another 
mixed  farming,  and  in  a  third  stock-raising.  There  will 
be  exceptions  in  each  of  such  districts  not  only  of  individ- 
ual farms,  but  of  whole  townships  and  of  still  larger  areas. 
The  main  fact  to  be  kept  in  view  in  any  effort  to  under- 
stand  the  condition   of  North    Dakota,   is   that   there  is 


74  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

scarcely  any  waste  land  in  the  State,  and  further  that 
there  is  a  great  deal  of  excellent  land  not  yet  tilled,  and 
open  to  settlement  on  advantageous  terms  and  under  cir- 
cumstances of  climate  and  facility  of  rail  communication 
to  near  markets  that  ensure  the  prosperity  of  the  prac- 
tical farmer  and  stockman. 

In  looking  at  the  condition  of  the  North  Dakota  popu- 
lation to-day  a  thoughtful  man  will  wonder  that  so  great  a 
degree  of  comfort  has  been  achieved  in  a  little  more  than  a 
decade  by  people  who  for  the  most  part  brought  nothing 
with  them.  The  cities,  towns,  villages,  farms,  public 
institutions,  school  houses  and  churches — in  fact  the  whole 
apparatus  of  civilized  life — have  been  created  out  of  the 
dormant  wealth-producing  capacity  of  what  was  a  few 
years  ago  a  bare  prairie.  When  men  go  into  new  mining 
districts  or  new  lumber  districts  they  take  large  capital  with 
them  to  buy  machinery  and  employ  labor;  but  the  settlers 
in  new  prairie  regions  take  hardly  anything  beside  their 
teams  and  plows>  their  wives  and  babies.  They  have  a 
hard  struggle  with  nature  for  a  time,  but  if  the  soil  and 
climate  are  favorable  and  there  are  outlets  to  market  for 
their  products  they  win  the  fight  in  the  end.  It  is  not  an 
exaggeration  to  say  that  at  least  nine  out  of  ten  of  the 
North  Dakota  farmers,  who  today  own  comfortable  homes, 
broad  acres,  implements  and  stock,  came  into  the  country 
with  no  capital  but  their  muscles  and  their  habits  of  patient 
industry.  Others  can  follow  them  with  only  a  small  part 
of  the  effort  and  privation  they  had  to  go  through  when 
the  country  was  new. 

Now  whatabout  the  North  Dakota  climate  ?  The  writer 
has  known  it  well  in  all  seasons  for  ten  years.  Let  us  begin 
with  the  winter,  which  is  popularly  supposed  in  the  East 
to  be  bleak  and  frigid.     Winter  in  North  Dakota  lasts  four 


Across  North  Dakota.  75 

months,  commencing  about  the  middle  of  November,  up 
to  which  time  the  weather  is  bright  and  agreeable.  The 
snow  fall  is  not  as  heavy  as  in  Wisconsin  or  Northern  New 
York.  There  is  a  good  deal  of  solid,  cold  weather  with  a 
below-zero  temperature,  and  with  bright  skies  and  still 
air.  A  blizzard  is  simply  a  snow  storm  with  a  wind  blow- 
ing. It  has  no  dangers  save  in  unsettled  regions 
where  it  may  be  difficult  to  reach  shelter.  As  the 
country  fills  up  with  settlers  one  hears  less  and 
less  of  blizzards.  There  is  good  sleighing  all  winter 
and  farmers  are  not  tied  up  at  home  by  bad  roads 
or  bad  weather  nearly  as  much  as  in  Illinois  or  Iowa. 
When  the  snow  melts  in  the  early  spring  the  roads  dry  up 
in  two  or  three  days  under  the  prairie  breezes  and  become 
in  excellent  condition  for  travel.  There  is  absolutely  no 
season  of  mud,  either  in  spring  or  fall.  Farmers  in  the 
old  prairie  States  and  in  such  clay  regions  as  Ohio  and 
Indiana  will  appreciate  how  much  this  condition  adds  to 
the  comfort  of  life  and  to  the  actual  money  earning 
capacity  of  men  and  teams.  The  spring  is  a  brief  season 
of  rains  and  sunshine  and  of  springing  grass  and  flowers, 
settling  down  into  the  long,  sunny  summer,  about  the  end 
of  May.  In  summer  there  are  two  or  three  spells  of  high 
temperature,  with  the  thermometer  marking  well  up  into 
the  nineties,  but  this  heat  is  felt  much  less  than  a  like 
temperature  in  the  moist  climate  of  the  Pacific  coast;  and, 
besides,  the  breezes,  which  blow  constantly,  make  it  less 
serious  and  the  nights  are  cool.  One  of  these  hot  spells 
usually  comes  in  June,  one  in  July  and  one  in  either 
August  or  September,  but  rarely  in  both  those  months. 
The  autumn  is  the  delightful  season  of  the  year,  with  its 
cool  (lays,  its  wealth  of  blue  and  yellow  flowers,  its  gar- 
nered grain,  and  with  the  hum  of  the  threshing  machines 


ira 


■ULJiiiiif.  .  yw* 


76 


Across  North  Dakota,  77 

sounding  all  through  the  land.  Usually  the  clear,  exhil- 
arating weather  is  prolonged  almost  to  the  first  of  Decem- 
ber, interrupted  only  by  a  slight  dash  of  snow  in  late 
October  or  early  November.  To  sum  up,  North  Dakota 
has  a  good,  healthful  climate  all  the  year  round — aclimate 
favorable  for  labor,  and  for  plant  and  animal  growth. 

North  Dakota  is  the  best  wheat  country  of  all  the  prairie 
States,  for  the  reason  that  the  soil  and  climate  are  favor  < 
able  to  the  rapid  growth  and  perfection  of  the  best 
quality  of  wheat  known — the  so-called  No.  i  Hard.  You 
can't  raise  this  king  of  wheat  much  south  of  the  southern 
boundary  of  North  Dakota.  Indeed,  the  hard  wheat 
region  is  practically  limited  to  Northern  Minnesota,  North 
Dakota  and  Manitoba.  North  Dakota  is  also  a  good 
country  for  barley,  rye,  flax  and  potatoes,  and  Indian  corn 
of  varieties  that  mature  early  is  successfully  grown.  It  is 
a  superb  stock  country,  on  account  of  the  abundance  of 
nutritious  native  grasses,  the  dryness  of  the  winter  atmos- 
phere and  the  almost  entire  absence  of  cold,  wet,  chilling 
storms.  The  conditions  for  wool  growing  are  as  favorable 
as  for  raising  cattle  and  sheep  for  the  markets  of  the  Twin 
Cities  and  of  Chicago.  It  is  a  peculiarly  healthful  country, 
because  of  the  stimulating  quality  of  its  air  and  the  entire 
absence  of  malarial  influences.  Thousands  of  the  most 
successful  citizens  migrated  to  the  State  on  account  of 
broken  constitutions,  feeble  health  or  lingering  disease  and 
have  regained  more  than  their  old  energy  and  vitality. 

Fargo  (251  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  7,000). — 
This  city,  the  county  seat  of  Cass  county,  North  Dakota, 
242  miles  west  of  Lake  Superior,  is  situated  on  the  western 
bank  of  the  Red  river,  which,  though  a  very  tortuous 
stream,  is  the  constituted  boundary  line  between  the  States 
of   Minnesota   and    North  Dakota.     This    is    the    largest 


78  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

city  in  North  Dakota,  and  is  often  called  the  metropolis  of 
the  Red  River  valley.  The  importance  of  Fargo  is  largely 
due  to  the  railroad  system  of  which  it  is  a  central  point. 
The  arrivals  and  departures  of  passenger  trains  number 
twenty-six  daily.  There  is  a  rail  connection  east,  west  and 
southwest  by  the  Northern  Pacific  line,  another  northwest 
and  southeast  by  the  lines  of  the  Great  Northern,  and 
south  by  the  Fargo  Southern,  operated  by  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  company,  while  the  Moorhead  & 
Northern  affords  a  northerly  route  on  the  eastern  bank  of 
the  Red  river.  The  steam  navigation  of  the  river  is  not  as 
important  a  feature  in  the  traffic  movement  of  the  town  as 
it  was  a  few  years  ago,  but  is  still  of  considerable  value, 
furnishing  cheap  transportation  to  the  farmers  in  the  imme- 
diate vicinity  of  the  river  banks.  The  growth  of  Fargo 
began  when  the  Northern  Pacific  reached  the  Red  river, 
late  in  1871;  but  it  was  very  slow  until  the  large  wheat 
firms  in  the  vicinity,  opened  as  a  rather  hazardous  experi- 
ment by  Oliver  Dalrymple,  had  demonstrated  the  remark- 
able fertility  and  great  agricultural  value  of  the  Red  River 
valley.  Fargo  is  a  lively  type  of  a  new  Western  town, 
with  all  the  modern  improvements,  such  as  daily  newspa- 
pers, waterworks  and  electric  lights.  It  suffered  a  severe 
disaster  in  the  summer  of  1893,  when  almost  .the  entire 
business  district  and  hundreds  of  dwellings  were  destroyed 
by  fire,  but  it  was  rapidly  rebuilt  and  few  traces  of  the 
calamity  can  now  be  seen.  Broadway,  the  chief  business 
street,  presents  an  attractive  array  of  new  business  blocks 
of  uniform  height.  Fargo  is  an  important  center  of  higher 
education,  having  the  State  agricultural  college,  and  a 
growing  Congregational  college.  The  court  house  and 
high  school  are  conspicuous  edifices.  A  good  deal  of 
flour  milling  is  done  and  the    Northern   Pacific    divisional 


Across  North  Dakota.  79 

shops  employ  many  mechanics.     The   wheat   fields  come 
close  up  to  the  western  suburbs  of  the  town. 

Bonanza  Wheat  Farms. — Greene  and  Dalrymple, 
small  stations  west  of  Fargo,  and  Casselton,  a  little 
further  on,  are  in  the  midst  of  the  so-called  bonan- 
za farm  district.  A  peculiarity  of  wheat  -  growing 
in  North  Dakota  is  the  grand  scale  upon  which  it  is  fre- 
quently conducted.  Prior  to  1875  lt  was  declared,  upon 
high  army  authority,that  beyond  the  Red  river  the  country 
was  not  susceptible  of  cultivation  ;  in  going  west  from 
that  stream  to  the  James,  there  was  some  fair  land,  but 
much  that  was  useless  ;  and  thence  to  the  Missouri  there 
was  little  or  no  available  area,  except  the  narrow  valleys 
of  the  small  streams;  in  fine  with  the  exceptions  named, 
that  the  country  was  practically  worthless.  This  sweeping 
statement  gained  wide  publicity,  and  caused  much  hesita- 
tion with  respect  to  undertaking  the  cultivation  of  the 
Dakota  prairies.  But  Messrs.  Geo.  W.  Cass  and  Benja- 
min P.  Cheney,  both  heavy  capitalists,  and  directors  in  the 
railroad  company,  having  faith  in  the  fertility  of  the  land 
determined  to  test  its  capacity  for  wheat  production. 
They  first  bought,  near  the  site  of  the  present  town  of 
Casselton,  7,680  acres  of  land  from  the  railroad  company, 
and  then  secured  the  intervening  Government  sections  with 
Indian  scrip,  thus  obtaining  compact  farming  grounds  of 
enormous  area.  Mr.  Oliver  Dalrymple,  an  experienced 
wheat  farmer,  was  engaged  to  manage  the  property  ;  and 
in  June,  1875,  he  turned  his  first  furrow,  plowing  1,280 
acres,  and  harvested  his  first  crop  in  1876.  The  acreage 
was  increased  in  each  succeeding  year,  until  in  1882  there 
were  not  less  than  27,000  acres  under  cultivation.  This 
immense  farm  does  not  lie  in  one  body.  One  part  of  it, 
known  as  the  Grandin  farm,  is  situated   in   Traill  county, 


Across  North  Dakota.  81 

thirty  miles  north  ot  Casselton.  The  entire  area  embraced 
by  the  three  tracts  is  75,000  acres.  Farming  operations 
conducted  on  so  gigantic  a  scale  seem  almost  incredible 
to  persons  who  are  only  familiar  with  the  methods  of  the 
older  and  more  settled  States.  In  managing  the  affairs  of 
a  "  bonanza  farm  "  the  most  rigorous  system  is  employed, 
and  the  cost  of  cultivation  averages  about  $t  per  acre  less 
than  on  smaller  estates.  The  plan  adopted  by  Mr.  Dal- 
rymple  and  all  the  other  "  bonanza  "  men  is  to  divide  the 
land  into  tracts  of  6,000  acres  each,  and  these  are  sub- 
divided into  farms  of  2,000  acres  each.  Over  each  6,000 
acres  a  superintendent  is  placed,  with  a  bookkeeper,  head- 
quarters building,  and  a  storehouse  for  supplies.  Each 
subdivision  of  2,000  acres  is  under  the  charge  of  a  foreman, 
and  is  provided  with  its  own  set  of  buildings,  comprising 
boardinghouses  for  the  hands,stables,a  granary,a  machinery 
hall  and  a  blacksmith's  shop,  all  connected  with  the  superin- 
tendent's office  by  telephone.  Supplies  of  every  descrip- 
tion are  issued  only  upon  requisition  to  the  several 
divisions.  Tools  and  machinery  are  bought  by  the  car 
load  from  manufacturers;  farm  animals  are  procured  at  St* 
Louis  and  other  principal  markets;  stores  of  every  descrip- 
tion for  feeding  the  army  of  laborers,  are  purchased  at 
wholesale;  and  the  result  of  the  thorough  system  and 
intelligent  economy  in  every  department  is  found  in  the 
fact  that  wheat  is  raised  and  delivered  at  the  railroad  at  a 
cost  varying  little  from  thirty-rive  v  cents  per  bushel. 
The  net  profit  on  a  bushel  of  wheat  is  seldom  less  that  ten 
cents,  and  the  average  yield  per  acre  may  safely  be  put  at 
fifteen  bushels,  although  it  often  exceeds  that  quantity. 

On  this  great  farm,  or,  rather,  combination  of  farms — 
the  20,000  acre  tract  at  Casselton — 400  men  are  employed 
in  harvesting,  and  500  to  600  in   threshing.     Two  hundred 


82  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

and  fifty  pairs  of  horses  or  mules  are  used,  200  gang  plows, 
115  self-binding  reapers,  and  twenty  steam  threshers. 
About  the  1st  of  August  the  harvester  is  heard  throughout 
the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land,  and  those  who  have 
witnessed  the  operation  of  securing  the  golden  grain  will 
never  forget  the  scene.  The  sight  of  the  immense  wheat 
fields,  stretching  away  farther  than  the  eye  can  reach,  in 
one  unbroken  sea  with  golden  waves,  is  in  itself  a  grand 
one.  One  writer  describes  the  long  procession  of  reaping 
machines  as  moving  like  batteries  of  artillery,  formed  en 
echelon  against  the  thick-set  ranks  of  grain.  Each  machine 
is  drawn  by  three  mules  or  horses,  and  with  each  gang  there 
is  a  superintendent,  who  rides  along  on  horseback,  and 
directs  the  operations  of  the  drivers.  There  are  also 
mounted  repairers,  who  carry  with  them  the  tools  for  re- 
pairing any  break  or  disarrangement  of  the  machinery. 
When  a  machine  fails  to  work,  one  of  the  repairers  is 
instantly  beside  it,  and,  dismounting,  remedies  the  defect  in 
a  trice,  unless  it  prove  to  be  serious.  Thus  the  reaping 
goes  on  with  the  utmost  order  and  the  best  effect.  Travel- 
ing in  line  together,  these  1 15  reaping  machines  would  cut  a 
swath  one-fifth  a  mile  in  width,  and  lay  low  twenty  miles 
of  grain  in  a  swath  of  that  great  size  in  the  course  of  a 
single  day.  "Carleton,"  a  correspondent  of  the  Chicago 
Tribune,  described  the  reaping  scene  thus : 

"Just  think  of  a  sea  of  wheat  containing  twenty  square 
miles,  — 13,000  acres, — rich,  ripe,  golden-the  winds  rippling 
over  it.  As  far  as  the  eye  can  see  there  is  the  same 
golden  russet  hue.  Far  away  on  the  horizon  you  behold 
an  army  sweeping  along  in  grand  procession.  Riding  on 
to  meet  it,  you  see  a  major  general  on  horseback, — the 
superintendent;  two  brigadiers  on  horseback — repairers. 
No   swords  flash  in  the  sunlight,  but  their  weapons  are 


Across  North  Dakota.  83 

monkey-wrenches  and  hammers.  No  brass  band,  no  drum 
beat  or  shrill  note  of  the  fife;  but  the  army  moves  on — a 
solid  phalanx  of  twenty-four  self-binding  reapers — to  the 
music  of  its  own  machinery.  At  one  swath,  in  a  twinkling 
a  path  of  192  feet  has  Been  cut  and  bound — the  reapers 
tossing  the  bundles  almost  disdainfully  into  the  air — each 
binder  doing  the  work  of  six  men." 

Casselton  (271  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  1,500), 
is  a  thriving  town,  the  situation  of  which  is  very  advan- 
tageous, being  in  the  midst  of  one  of  the  finest  wheat  rais- 
ing districts  in  the  Dakotas.  Tourists  who  wish  to  visit 
some  of  the  bonanza  farms  will  find  this  the  most  conven- 
ient stopping  place.  The  hotel  accommodations  are 
good  and  teams  can  be  had  to  drive  to  the  farms. 

Wheatland  (277  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  500). 
— This  town  is  established  upon  the  dividing  ridge  that 
separates  the  magnificent  black  soil  of  the  Red  River  valley 
from  the  undulating  prairie  beyond  toward  the  Sheyenne, 
and  is  supplied  with  general  stores,  hotels,  etc.  It  is  the 
trading  point  for  numerous  small  farmers,  and  also  the 
headquarters  for  several  large  bonanza-farm  interests  in 
the  vicinity. 

Buffalo  (287  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  500). — 
Buffalo  is  an  incorporated  village,  and  the  trading  point 
for  farmers  in  its  vicinity,  the  exports  being  principally 
wheat,  oats  and  potatoes.  It  has  an  altitude  of  575  feet 
above  the  level  of  Fargo.  The  surrounding  country  is  an 
even  prairie  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  The  first  settler 
can,  talo  in  1878.     In  the  vicinity  of  the    town    are 

three  bonanza  farms. 

Tower  (293  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  800). — 
This  town,  named  in  honor  of  Charlemagne  Tower,  of 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  a  former  director  of  the  Northern    Pa- 


',. 


mmiv,    ' 


Harvesting  on  a  Bonanza  Farm. 
[By  permission  o<"  Harper  &  Brothers,  New  York.j 


Across  North  Dakota.  85 

cific  rainoad,  is  on  the  western  edge  of  Cass  county.  It 
was  laid  out  in  April,  1879.  A  school  called  Tower  Uni- 
versity is  controlled  by  the  Baptist  denomination.  The 
Northern  Pacific  railroad,  in  boring  a  well  at  Tower, 
struck  a  vein  of  water  at  a  depth  of  670  feet.  The  water 
is  soft,  not  very  cold,  sweet  and  pleasant  to  the  taste,  and 
its  medicinal  properties  are  said  to  be  similar  to  those  of  the 
springs  at  Saratoga.  Many  persons  who  use  the  water  say 
that  it  works  on  the  stomach  and  kidneys  in  a  beneficial 
manner,  and  tones  up  the  entire  system. 
*  Valley  City  (308  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population  2,000), 
is  the  county  seat  of  Barnes  county.  It  lies  in  a  deep  val- 
ley surrounded  by  an  amphitheatre  of  hills,  which  rise  to  a 
height  of  125  feet  or  more  on  every  side  of  it.  Circling 
round  the  valley  is  the  beautiful  Sheyenne  river,  a  stream 
at  this  point  fully  seventy-five  feet  in  width,  running  over 
gravelly  beds,  and  fringed  with  sturdy  oaks,  elms  and  other 
woods.  The  Northern  Pacific  railroad  enters  the  town 
on  its  eastern  side  by  a  winding  passage  through  the  bluffs 
for  a  distance  of  several  miles,  and  emerges  on  the  steep- 
est part  of  the  line  between  Fargo  and  the  Missouri  river. 
The  town  is  furnished  with  a  fine  water-power  by  a  fall  of 
ten  feet  in  the  river  within  the  limits  of  the  city  proper. 
The  Sheyenne  river,  to  which  the  town  owes  much  of  its 
prosperity,  is  one  of  the  few  important  rivers  in  North  Da- 
kota. It  rises  in  the  northern  part  of  the  Territory,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Devil's  Lake,  and  describes  a  tortuous  course  of 
nearly  100  miles  before  it  reaches  Valley  City.  Its  waters 
are  generally  clear,  and  abound  with  fish,  and  its  banks  are 
skirted  with  timber.  Along  its  shores  in  former  years 
roamed  the  savage  Sioux,  and  many  a  bloody  conflict  has 
taken  place  between  warrior  tribes  within  sight  of  its 
wooded  slopes.     One  of  the  North  Dakota  Normal  schools 


8G  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

is  located  at  Valley  City  and  occupies  a  handsome  building 
in  a  natural  park  south  of  the  river.  The  "  Soo  "  road,  a 
Canadian  Pacific  line,  running  from  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie, 
Mich.,  to  Pasqua,  Assiniboia,  crosses  the  Northern  Pacific 
near  Valley  City. 

Prairie  Farming.-The  cultivation  of  the  soil  in  a  prairie 
country  is,  in  some  of  its  processes,  very  different  from  the 
methods  pursued  elsewhere,  and  has  given  rise  to  at  least 
two  technical  terms,  which  are  known  as  "breaking" 
and  "backsetting."  Premising  that  the  prairie  soil  is  free 
from  roots,  vines  or  other  obstructions,  and  that  the  virgin 
sod  is  turned  from  the  mould-board  like  a  roll  of  ribbon 
from  one  end  of  the  field  to  the  other,  a  fact  is  presented 
which  farmers  who  are  accustomed  to  plow  among  stones, 
stumps  and  roots,  can  scarcely  grasp.  But  the  sod  thus 
turned  is  so  knit  together  by  the  sturdy  rootlets  of  the  rank 
prairie  grass  that  a  clod  of  large  size  will  not  fall  apart 
even  though  it  be  suspended  in  mid-air.  To  "break"  or 
plow  this  mat,  therefore,  it  is  necessary  to  cut  it,  not  only 
at  the  width  of  the  furrow  it  is  desired  to  turn,  but  under- 
neath the  sod  at  any  thickness  or  depth  as  well.  An  ordi- 
nary plow  could  not  endure  the  strain  of  breaking  prairie 
soil,  so  plows  called  breakers  have  been  constructed  to  do 
this  special  work. 

Usually,  three  horses  abreast  are  employed,  with  a  thin 
steel,  circular  coulter,  commonly  called  a  "rolling  coulter," 
to  distinguish  it  from  the  old-fashioned  stationary  coulter, 
beveled  and  sharpened  for  a  few  inches  above  the  point  of 
the  plow  to  which  it  is  attached.  A  furrow  is  broken  six- 
teen inches  wide  and  three  inches  thick,  and  the  sod,  as  a 
rule,  is  completely  reversed  or  turned  over.  Each  team  is 
expected  to  break  sixteen  miles  of  sod,  sixteen  inches  wide 
and  three  inches  thick,  for  a  day's  task.     By  cutting  the  sod 


Across  North  Dakota.  87 

only  three  inches  thick,  the  roots  of  the  grasses,  under  the 
action  of  heat  and  moisture,  rapidly  decay.  The  breaking 
season  begins  about  the  ist  of  May,  and  ends  about  the  ist 
of  July.  The  wages  of  men  employed  at  this  kind  of  work 
are  $20  per  month  and  board  .  The  estimated  cost  of  break- 
ing is  $2.75  per  acre,  which  includes  a  proportionate  outlay 
for  implements,  labor  and  supplies.  But  the  ground  once 
broken  is  ready  for  continued  cultivation,  and  is  regarded 
as  having  added  the  cost  of  the  work  to  its  permanent 
value.  The  "broken''  land  is  now  with  propriety  termed  a 
farm. 

"  Backsetting"  begins  about  the  ist  "of  July,  just  after 
breaking  is  finished,  or  immediately  after  the  grass  be- 
comes too  high,  or  the  sod  too  dry,  to  continue  breaking 
with  profit.  This  process  consists  in  following  the  furrows 
of  the  breaking,  and  turning  the  sod  back,  with  about 
three  inches  of  the  soil.  In  doing  this  work,  it  is  usual  to 
begin  where  the  breaking  was  begun,  and  when  the  sod 
has  become  disintegrated,  and  the  vegetation  practically 
decomposed.  Each  plow,  worked  by  two  horses  or  mules, 
will  "backset"  about  two  and  a  half  acres  per  day,  turning 
furrows  the  width  of  the  sod.  The  plows  have  a  rolling 
coulter,  in  order  that  the  furrows  may  be  uniform  and 
clean,  whether  the  sods  have  grown  together  at  their 
edges  or  not.  The  "backsetting"  having  been  done, 
there  only  remains  one  other  operation  to  fit  the  new 
ground  for  the  next  season's  crop.  This  is  cross-plowing 
(plowing  crosswise,  or  across  the  breaking  or  backsetting), 
or  so-called  fall  plowing,  which  is  entered  upon  as  soon 
threshing  is  over,  or  on  damp  days  during  the 
threshing  season.  A  team  of  two  mules  will  accomplish 
as  much  cross-plowing  in  a  day  as  was  done  in  backsetting 
— two  and  a  half  acres.    The  wages  for  backsetting  and  fall 


88  '      The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

plowing  are  also  $20  per  month  and  board,  or  $1.50  per 
acre  to  hire  the  work  done. 

The  virgin  soil  having  been  broken,  backset  and  cross- 
plowed,  is  now  ready  for  seeding.  This,  ordinarily,  begins 
from  about  the  middle  of  March  to  the  1st  of  April,  and  is 
often  not  finished  until  the  1st  of  May.  Instead  of  the  old 
style  of  hand  sowing,  a  broadcast  seeder  is  used,  one  of 
which  machines  will  sow  twelve  acres  a  day.  Fifty-two 
quarts  of  clean  Scotch  Fife  seed  wheat  are  used  to  the 
acre.  The  cost  of  sowing  the  ground  is  seventy-five  cents 
per  acre,  and  the  average  cost  of  the  seed  wheat,  upon  the 
larger  farms,  has  been  $1.50  per  acre.  Seeding  having 
been  carefully  attended  to,  the  harrowing  or  covering 
process  demands  close  attention.  The  grain  must  be 
evenly  covered,  at  a  uniform  depth,  to  insure  a  good  stand, 
healthy  growth,  and  even  maturity.  On  the  so-called 
bonanza  and  systematically  conducted  farms,  one  pair  of 
harrows  usually  follows  each  seeder,  going  over  the  ground 
from  one  to  five  times,  according  to  the  condition  of  the 
soil,  until  it  is  well  pulverized,  the  seed  evenly  covered, 
and  the  surface  reasonably  smooth. 

Harvesting  on  the  large  farms  begins  about  the  1st  of 
August.  Self-binding  harvesters,  one  to  every  160  acres, 
are  employed,  and  one  driver  and  two  shockers  are 
required  to  each  machine.  The  wages  during  the  harvest 
season  are  $1.50  to  $2  per  day  and  board. 

The  work  on  a  wheat  farm  only  occupies  a  few  weeks  in 
the  year,  and  the  business  is  attractive  on  that  account, 
apart  from  the  profits.  After  the  plowing  and  seeding 
are  finished,  the  farmer  can  look  on,  and  see  Nature  grow 
and  ripen  his  crop,  until  the  harvest  time  comes.  By  the 
end  of  August  the  year's  work  is  practically  done.  Expen- 
sive farm  buildings  are  not  required;  for  the  grain  may  be 


Across  North  Dakota.  89 

threshed  in  the  fields,  and  hauled  immediately  to  the 
nearest  railroad  station.  Very  little  fencing  is  needed  on 
a  wheat  farm.  Frequently  the  cultivated  portion  is  left 
unenclosed,  and  a  barbed  wire  fence  is  put  around  the 
pasture  lot  to  secure  the  cattle. 

Sanborn  (320  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  500). — 
This  is  the  diverging  point  for  a  branch  road  which  runs 
to  Cooperstown,  thirty-six  miles  distant.  There  are  a 
number  of  alkaline  lakes  near  the  town,  which  are  great 
resorts  of  wild  ducks.  In  a  low  range  of  hills  about  five 
miles  south  of  the  place  ancient  pottery  has  been  exca- 
vated, showing  that  this  region  was  once  the  'home  of  a 
race  less  savage  than  the  wild  red  men,  who  knew  nothing 
of  the  fashioning  and  burning  of  clay. 

Lake  Eckelson. — The  railroad  crosses  a  large,  shallow 
alkaline  lake  323  miles  from  St.  Paul.  This  lake  is  seven 
miles  long  and  three-quarters  of  a  mile  wide  and  is  a 
favorite  resort  for  duck  hunters. 

Jamestown  (343  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  3,000). 
— This  is  an  active  town,  and  is  the  commercial  centre  of 
an  extensive  region  of  country.  It  is  the  county  seat  of 
Stutsman  county,  and  is  situated  in  the  midst  of  a  rich 
agricultural  region  which  is  equally  well  adapted  to 
wheat-raising  and  stock-growing.  The  town  stands  on  a 
dry  plateau  on  the  east  bank  of  the  James,  and  is  sur- 
rounded by  ranges  of  sloping  hills.  The  drainage  is 
excellent,  and  the  health  conditions  are  remarkably  good. 
Jamestown  is  the  junction  of  the  Jamestown  &  Northern 
Railway,  extending  north  to  Leeds,  108  miles,  where  it 
reaches  the  main  line  of  the  Great  Northern  railroad.  The 
James  River  Valley  railroad  runs  to  Oakes,  sixty-nine  miles 
south  of  Jamestown. 

North   Dakota  Insane  hospital,  a  public  institution 


90  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

costing  over  $100,000,  stands  on  the  hill  about  a  mile 
south  of  the  town.  The  two  principal  public  school 
houses  cost  respectively  $14,000  and  $15,000.  The  James- 
town college,  established  by  the  Presbyterians,  is  a  hand- 
some brick  edifice  standing  on  the  bluffs  overlooking  the 
town.  There  is  a  reading  room  and  a  circulating  library. 
Jamestown  is  the  headquarters  of  the  Dakota  division  of 
the  Northern  Pacific  railroad.  The  railway  buildings 
here,  including  the  round-house  and  machine  shops,  cost 
about  $100,000. 

The  North  Dakota  Insane  Hospital.— This  institu- 
tion ranks  with  the  best  and  most  progressive  of  its  class 
in  the  country.  The  system  is  one  of  patient  kindness 
coupled  with  only  as  much  restraint  as  is  absolutely  nec- 
essary. The  hospital  is  a  home  and  not  a  prison  for  the 
demented.  In  either  of  the  wards  the  visitor  might  well 
suppose  himself  to  be  in  some  first-class  family  hotel, 
so  pleasant  are  the  rooms,  with  their  numerous  pictures 
and  their  pretty  furniture,  so  neat  the  halls  and  so  quiet 
the  behavior  of  the  inmates.  Many  of  the  patients  have 
the  free  range  of  the  grounds  and  are  employed  in  light 
labors  about  the  farm  and  house.  There  are  many  forms 
of  agreeable  evening  entertainments  devised,  including 
concerts  and  dances,  to  relieve  the  tedium  of  asylum  life. 
Books  and  magazines  are  plentiful;  some  of  the  women 
inmates  have  house  plants  and  birds,  and  some  of  the  men 
carry  on  little  mechanical  employments  for  which  they  have 
a  fondness.  There  is  no  effort  to  apply  iron-bound  rules 
and  methods  to  all  the  inmates.  Each  case  is  studied  sep- 
arately, its  history  carefully  looked  up  and  a  plan  of  treat- 
ment followed  which  promises  a  permanent  cure.  It  is 
surprising  how  many  cases  of  pronounced  dementia  yield 
speedily  to  a  regimen  in   which  good   and  sufficient  food, 


ts  Worth   Dakota.  !'l 

physical  comfort  and  cheerful  surroundings  are  almost  the 
only  features.  Perhaps  the  poor  lunatic  finds  him- 
self or  herself  for  the  first  time  in  years  seated  at  a  bounti- 
ful table  and  lodged  in  a  good  clean  bed,  as  well  as  freed 
from  the  special  cares  and  annoyances  that  have  brought 
on  the  brain  sickness.  In  such  cases  nature  promptly 
rebounds  from  its  depression.  The  first  step  towards  a 
cure  is  to  make  the  patient  feel  cheerful  and  comfortable, 
and  to  secure  good  digestion  and  good  sleep.  The  institu- 
tion comprises  eight  separate  brick  structures,  one  con- 
taining the  power  and  heating  plant,  one  being  the  general 
office  building,  one  the  kitchen  and  laundry,  and  five  the 
ward  buildings.  All  the  ward  buildings  are  connected  with 
each  other  and  with  the  office  building  and  the  kitchen  by 
semi-subterranean  passages.  These  long  corridors  are 
profusely  decorated  with  etchings,  engravings  and  colored 
prints,  and  so  are  the     patients'    sitting    rooms    and    bed 

■us. 

ih  of  Jamestown  can  be  found  the  "Hawk's  Nest," 
where  General  Sibley  had  the  Sioux  corraled  at  one 
time.     There  are  several  battlefields  in   the  vicinity,  where 

ce   conflicts    took    place    between    the    troops  and   the 

IX. 

The  Coteaux. — The  country  between  the  valleys  of  the 

James  and    Missou ri  rivers,  traversed   by  the    Northern  Pa- 

a    high,  rolling  plateau,  the  general  elevation 

of  which,    above"~these    two   streams,   is  about   400    feet. 

This  region  i  lly  known  as  The  Coteaux.      Its  correct 

name,  as  given  it  by  the  early  French  settlers, 

iteau  du  (  ourij  but  this  has  been  short- 

1    into    Coteaux.     The  Coteau  country  is   open  prairie, 

with  >nal  small    plat    of    timber    on    the   shores 

has  no   streams,  the  drainage  all  going 


92  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

into  Jakes  and  ponds.  Most  of  the  soil  is  deep  and 
rich,  and  farming  is  successfully  carried  on.  The  region  is 
also  admirably  adapted  for  stock-raising  and  wool-grow- 
ing, pasturage  being  excellent,  and  the  numerous  natural 
meadows  in  the  valleys  and  around  the  lakes  and  ponds 
furnishing  an  abundant  supply  of  hay.  From  the  western 
margin  of  the  plateau,  where  it  begins  to  dip  toward  the 
valley  of  the  Missouri  itself,  the  country  is  generally  known 
as  the  Missouri  slope. 

Dawson  and  Steele. — These  places,  distant  from  St. 
Paul  394  and  402  miles,  are  the  chief  towns  of  the  Coteaux 
country,  and  have  a  population  of  about  500  each,  and  are 
active  centers  of  local  trade.  Steele  is  on  the  highest  land 
on  the  line  between  the  Red  and  the  Missouri  rivers. 
There  are  a  number  of  lakes  north  and  south  of  these 
towns  which  are  visited  in  the  fall  by  sportsmen  from  Chi- 
cago, St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis.  Wild  geese  resort  to 
these  lakes  in  great  numbers  on  their  annual  migratory 
flights  from  the  far  North  to  thev-South.  In  fact,  this  is 
the  best  goose-hunting  region  in  North  Dakota. 

Bismarck  (444  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  2,500). 
— This  is  the  capital  of  North  Dakota,  and  the  county  seat 
of  Burleigh  county,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Missouri. 

There  is  something  fine  and  commanding  in  the 
situation  of  Bismarck,  standing,  as  it  does,  on  hills  that 
overlook  the  course  of  the  great  river  of  the  Northwest — 
the  Missouri.  Twenty  or  thirty  miles  of  the  tawny  stream, 
with  its  bordering  belts  of  Cottonwood  forest,  can  be  seen 
from  almost  any  street  crossing  in  the  town,  and  from  the 
crests  of  the  hills  the  great  steel  railroad  bridge  shows — 
the  only  railway  crossing  on  the  Missouri  between  Sioux 
City  and  Great  Falls,  a  distance,  following  the  bends  of 
the   stream,  of  fully  two  thousand   miles.     The  group  of 


94  Tht  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

buildings,  scarcely  seen  in  the  distance  beyond  the  bridge, 
is  the  town  of  Mandan.  That  white  speck  on  the  bluffs 
far  down  the  river  is  Fort  Abraham  Lincoln,  a  spot  of  sad 
memories,  for  it  was  from  this  post  that  the  gallant  Custer 
set  forth  with  his  cavalry  on  the  ill-fated  expedition  that 
ended  in  the  annihilation  of  his  regiment. 

When  you  enter  Bismarck  by  rail  from  the  east  the 
first  noble  structure  that  you  see  is  the  State  penitentiary, 
a  solid  red  brick  edifice  surrounded  by  a  very  tall,  white 
board  fence,  on  which  little  sentry  boxes  are  perched. 
Then  you  notice,  on  a  brown  hill  slope  far  out  beyond  the 
limits  of  suburban  growth,  an  enormous  object  of  uncouth 
shape,  looking  like  an  exaggerated  brick  pile.  This  is  the 
unfinished  capitol  building,  and  its  peculiar  appearance 
comes  from  the  fact  that  it  presents  to  the  town  the  dead 
wall  of  the  central  structure,  which  is  to  be  joined  in  the 
future,  according  to  the  architect's  plan,  to  the  wings  of  an 
imposing  dome-surmounted  edifice.  Go  up  to  the  front  of 
the  building  and  you  find  that  the  wing  built  by  the  sub- 
scriptions of  the  people  of  Bismarck  and  presented  by  them 
to  the  old  Territory,  is  of  itself  a  structure  of  liberal  pro- 
portions, and  a  visit  to  its  interior  will  show  that  it  is  large 
enough  for  all  the  present  needs  of  the  economical  govern- 
ment of  a  young  State. 

The  business  streets  of  Bismarck  stand  on  the  ''second 
bench  "above  the  Missouri,  but  the  river  is  a  long  way  off 
across  a  stretch  of  nearly  two  miles  of  hay  bottoms  and 
Cottonwood  groves.  Following  the  railroad  westward  to 
the  bridge,  also  about  two  miles  away,  you  will  notice  that 
the  stream  here  runs  at  the  foot  of  the  bluffs,  and  that  the 
bottoms  are  on  the  other  side.  Here  is  the  steamboat 
landing  from  which  boats  leave  for  the  upper  river,  fol- 
lowing its  sinuous  course  as  far  as  Fort  Benton. v   This  was 


Across  North  Dakota.  95 

the  only  highway  of  travel  to  the  mines  of  the  Northern 
Rockies  until  the  railroad  was  built.  Its  importance  as  a 
channel  of  commerce  has  greatly  diminished  in  late  years, 
but  it  is  still  the  only  avenue  of  communication  with  a 
great  deal  of  pastoral  country  lying  along  both  sides  of 
the  stream,  and  the  river  traffic  is  still  a  valuable  feature 
in  the  trade  of  Bismarck.  With  a  fuller  development  of 
the  river  country  the  business  of  steamboating  will  con- 
siderably increase,  and  Bismarck  has  a  right  to  look  upon 
the  broad,  muddy  river  as  one  of  her  sure  resources  for 
future  growth.  The  residence  streets  of  the  town  climb 
gentle  slopes  from  this  level  "second  bench  "  back  to  the 
summits  of  the  hills,  and  there  are  few  dwellings  so  situ- 
ated as  to  miss  the  superb  outlook  over  the  river  and  the 
valley  which  is  the  special  pride  of  Bismarck  people. 

The  business  streets  exhibit  an  unusual  number  of 
substantial  three-story  brick  blocks  for  a  town  of  2,500 
inhabitants,  and  the  si^e  of  the  stores  and  the  stocks  they 
carry  show  that  the  trade  of  the  place  is  not  wholly  a  local 
It  reaches  far  out,  in  fact,  going  away  up  the  river 
-  the  steamboats  run,  and  down  the  river  to  farming 
settlements  and  stock  ranches,  and  back  into  the  country 
east  of  the  river  for  a  long  distance. 

The  United  States  land   office  for  the  western  part  of 

th    Dakota   is  located   at  Bismarck,  and  here  settlers 
can  get  full  information  as  to  the  tracts  still  open  to  home- 

1   entry.     The    town    is   an    interesting    place    for  the 

tourist  to  visit.     He  should  take  time  to  talk  with 

the  old    settlers    about    its    romantic  early  history,  and   to 

Irive  out   over   the   hard,  clastic   prairie  roads  to  see  the 

arms  and  stock  ranches.     The  country  is  all  attractive, 

it  is  a  very  big,  broad  country,  with  plenty  of  room  in 
it  tor  new  peO] 


96  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

Fort  Abraham  Lincoln. — From  Capitol  hill,  in  Bis- 
marck, can  be  plainly  seen  the  white  walls  of  Fort  Abraham 
Lincoln.  This  military  station  lies  five  miles  distant  by 
the  road,  on  the  high  bluffs  on  the  west  side  of  the  Mis- 
souri, and  not  far  from  Mandan.  It  was  attacked  on  five 
different  occasions  during  the  years  1872-73,  by  the  Sioux, 
with  an  aggregate  loss  of  eight  killed  and  twelve  wounded 
on  the  side  of  the  troops  ;  but  the  repulsed  Indians  suffered 
more  severely.  The  gallant  and  ill-fated  Gen.  Geo.  A. 
Custer  passed  the  last  two  years  of  his  life  at  this  post, 
and  it  was  from  this  post  that  he  set  out  with  his  regiment 
in  1876  on  the  expedition  which  resulted  in  the  massacre 
of  his  entire  command.  One  of  the  friends  of  the  deceased 
general,  in  describing  the  incidents  of  Custer's  busy  life, 
gives  a  glimpse  of  his  room  at  the  old  fort  in  the  following 
words  :  "  It  was  pervaded  by  an  air  of  luxury  and  good 
taste,  although  the  furniture  was  of  the  plainest,  and  much 
of  it  old  and  worn.  But  over  every  old  chair  or  sofa, 
covering  all  deficiencies,  were  beautiful  furs  and  skins  that 
money  could  hardly  purchase, — the  spoils  of  Custer's  rifle  ; 
and  all  around  the  walls  hung  grand  heads  of  buffalo/' 

The  Great  Bridge  Over  the  Missouri  River.— This 
superb  bridge  was  opened  for  traffic  with  appropriate  cere- 
monies on  the  1st  of  October,  1882.  Prior  to  that  time  the 
river  was  crossed  by  means  of  a  large  transfer  steamer, 
specially  constructed  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  trains  of 
cars.  Owing  to  the  strong  current  and  constantly  shifting 
sand-bars  in  the  channel,  the  ferriage  by  steamboat  was 
always  tedious,  and  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  com- 
pany never  intended  that  so  slow  a  transfer  of  its  trains 
should  be  anything  but  a  temporary  arrangement. 

The  bridge  proper  consists  of  three  through  spans,  each 
measuring  400  feet  between  centers  of  end  pins,  and  two 


OS  The  Norther 7i  Pacific  Railroad. 

approach  spans,  each  1 13  feet.  It  is  a  high  bridge,  the  bot- 
tom chord  of  the  three  main  spans  being  placed  fifty  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  highest  summer  flood,  thus  giving 
room  for  steamboats  to  pass  at  all  navigable  stages  of  the 
river,  the  bridge  allowing  practically  four  feet  more  room 
than  many  of  the  bridges  on  the  lower  Missouri.  The 
variable  channel  and  the  high  bluff  on  the  east  side  were 
sufficient  reasons  for  adopting  the  high  bridge  plan  in  pre- 
ference to  the  low  bridge  with  a  draw,  and  the  violent 
action  of  the  ice  added  to  the  force  of  these  reasons.  The 
east  end  of  the  east  approach  span  is  supported  by  a  small 
abutment  of  granite  masonry  founded  on  the  natural 
ground  of  the  bluff.  The  west  end  of  the  west  approach 
span  is  upheld  by  an  iron  bent,  resting  on  two  Cushing 
cylinders,  which  are  supported  by  piles  driven  into  the 
sand-bar.  The  three  long  spans  are  supported  on  four 
granite  piers,  which  are  of  unusual  size,  with  long,  raking 
ice  breakers,  shod  with  steel.  They  are  fashioned  so  as  to 
cut  readily  the  large  sheets  of  ice  upon  the  breaking  up  of 
the  river  in  the  spring,  and  to  afford  the  least  possible 
obstruction  to  the  moving  mass  of  broken  ice  which  fol- 
lows. Their  stability  far  exceeds  any  force  which  the  ice 
can  exert. 

Each  of  the  main  channel  spans  measures  400  feet,  divided 
into  sixteen  panels  of  twenty-five'  feet  each.  The  trusses 
are  fifty  feet  deep  from  center  to  center,  and  twenty-two 
feet  apart.  The  pedestals,  end  posts,  top  chords,  and  ten 
center  panels  of  the  bottom  chord,  and  all  the  pins  and 
expansion  rollers,  are  of  steel.  All  other  parts  in  the  main 
are  of  wrought  iron,  except  the  ornamental  work,  which  is 
of  cast  iron.  Each  long  span  contains  600,950  pounds  of 
wrought  iron,  348,797  pounds  of  steel,  and  25,777  pounds 
of  cast  iron,  the  total  weight  of    each    span    being  975,524 


Across  North  Dakota.  99 

pounds.  The  steel  used  was  manufactured  under  the 
most  rigid  inspection,  and  subjected  to  extraordinary  tests 
before  it  was  placed  in  position.  The  extreme  height  from 
the  bottom  of  the  deepest  foundation  to  the  top  chord  of 
the  bridge  is  170  feet.  The  floor  of  the  structure  is  formed 
of  oak  timbers,  nine  inches  square  and  fifteen  feet  long, 
with  spaces  of  six  inches  between.  On  this  floor  are  laid 
the  steel  rails  of  the  track. 

The  West  Missouri  Country,  which  is  the  region  in 
Xorth  Dakota  bounded  on  the  east  and  north  by  the  Mis- 
souri river,  on  the  west  by  the  Montana  line,  and  on  the 
south  by  South  Dakota,  is  the  best  watered  region  in  the 
two  States  of  North  and  South  Dakota.  Within  that  region 
are  the  Little  Missouri,  the  Knife,  the  Heart,  the  Little 
Heart,  the  Cannon  Ball  and  the  Grand  rivers,  to  say  noth- 
ing of  many  smaller  streams  tributary  to  those  mentioned. 
These  streams  are  running  all  the  year.  They  get  their 
waters  from  some  hidden  springs  and  do  not  depend  upon 
local  rains.  The  water  that  feeds  them  comes  from  the 
Rocky  Mountains  along  strata  that  are  shallow,  Morton 
county,  of  which  Mandan  is  the  county  seat  and  only  town 
Of  any  considerable  size,  extends  some  seventy-odd  miles 
by  rail  westward  from  the  Missouri  river,  and  averages 
about  fifty  miles  in  width.  There  were  over  400,000  bushels 
of  hard  wheat  raised  in  the  county  in  1891,  which  would 
give  $100,  if  sold  at  market  price,  to  every  man,  woman 
and  child  within  its  borders. 

Mandan  (450  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population  2,000). — It 
lies  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Missouri,  nestled  in  the  low- 
lands between  that  great  stream  and  the   Heart  river,  just 

er  the  railroad  bridge  is  passed.  On  three  sides  it  is 
inclosed  by  low  ranges  of  hills,  and  the  fertile  Heart  River 
valley  here  broadens  into  a  wide,   circular  plain.       Up  to 


100  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

1879,  when  the  extension  of  the  railroad  west  of  the 
Missouri  river  was  begun,  the  sight  of  Mandan  was 
occupied  by  Indians,  while  buffaloes  ranged  on  the  neigh- 
boring hills.  Even  as  late  as  the  period  named,  the  war- 
like Sioux  had  here  a  series  of  skirmishes,  which  cul- 
minated in  a  pitched  battle  with  the  Arickarees,  or  Rees,  as 
they  are  commonly  termed,  a  branch  of  the  Mandan  tribe. 
It  is  now  a  trading  point  for  the  Sioux  on  the  great  Stand- 
ing Rock  Reservation,  forty  miles  south",  which  is  divided 
by  the  boundary  line  between  North  and  South  Dakota, 
and  was  the  scene  in  the  winter  of  1890  of  those  bloody 
battles  between  the  United  States  troops  and  the  Indians 
which  the  reader  will  recall. 

The  principal  thoroughfare,  Main  street,  which  runs 
parallel  with  the  railroad,  is  divided  from  the  track  along 
its  entire  length  by  a  wide,  open  space  that  is  set  apart  for 
a  city  park.  This  being  the  terminus  of  the  Dakota 
division  and  the  beginning  of  the  Missouri  division  of  the 
railroad,  there  are,  at  Mandan,  extensive  machine  shops, 
round-house,  freight  buildings,  and  every  other  appliance 
for  the  transaction  of  railroad  business,  a  large  number  of 
workmen  being  employed. 

Fuel  is  supplied  in  abundance — both  wood  and  coal — 
by  the  timber  which  skirts  the  rivers,  and  by  the  mines, 
which  are  worked  to  great  advantage,  on  the  line  of  the 
railroad  westward.  The  coal  is  delivered  by  the  car-load 
at  a  low  price.  Much  attention  is  given  in  Morton  county 
to  stock  and  sheep  raising,  to  which  the  country  and 
climate  are  well  adapted. 

Near  Mandan  are  points  of  interest  dating  from  prehis- 
toric times.  A  short  distance  south  of  the  city  are  mounds 
which  have  been  formed  by  successive  layers  of  camp 
refuse,  heaped   together  and   burned  by  recurring  prairie 


Across  North  Dakota.  101 

fires.  In  these  stratifications  are  found  stone  weapons, 
arrow-heads,  household  implements,  pottery,  trinkets,  and 
bones  of  men  and  animals.  The  Indians  deny  all  knowl- 
edge of  these  mounds,  the  presence  of  which  offers  a  fine 
field  for  archaeological  and  ethnological  research.  The 
Mandan  Pionccry  describing  some  of  the  discoveries,  said: 
"Two  miles  from  Mandan,  on  the  bluffs  near  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Heart  and  Missouri  rivers,  is  an  old  cemetery  of 
fully  ioo  acres  in  extent,  filled  with  bones  of  a  giant  race. 
This  vast  city  of  the  dead  lies  just  east  of  the  Fort  Lincoln 
road.  We  have  just  spent  a  half-day  in  exploring  this 
charnel  house  of  a  dead  nation.  The  ground  has  the 
appearance  of  having  been  filled  with  trenches  piled  full  of 
dead  bodies,  both  man  and  beast,  and  covered  with  several 
feet  of  earth.  In  many  places  mounds  from  eight  to  ten 
feet  high,  and  some  of  them  ioo  feet  or  more  in  length, 
have  been  thrown  up,  and  are  filled  with  bones,  broken 
pottery,  and  vases  of  various  bright-colored  flints  and 
agates.  The  pottery  is  of  a  dark  material,  beautifully 
decorated,  delicate  in  finish,  and  as  light  as  wood,  showing 
the  work  of  a  people  skilled  in  the  arts,  and  possessed  of  a 
high  state  of  civilization.  Here  is  a  grand  field  for  the 
student,  who  will  be  richly  repaid  for  his  labors  by  exca- 
vating and  tunneling  in  these  catacombs  of  the  dead. 
This  has  evidently  been  a  grand  battle  field  where  thou- 
sands of  men  and  horses  have  fallen.  Nothing  like  a 
>r  intelligent  exploration  has  been  made,  as 
only  little  holes,  two  or  three  feet  in  depth,  have  been  dug 
ome  of  the  mounds;  but  many  parts  of  the  anatomy  of 
man  and  beast,  and  beautiful  specimens  of  broken  pottery 
other  curiosities,  have  been  found  in  these  feeble 
ccavation.  Who  are  they,  and  from  whence 
did   they  come,  dying,  and    leaving  only  these  crumbling 


102  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

bones  and  broken  fragments  of  their  works  of  art  to  mark 
the  resting  place  of  a  dead  nation?  Five  miles  above 
Mandan,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Missouri,  is  another 
vast  cemetery,  as  yet  uexplored. 

"How  long  have  these  bones  and  remains  laid  in  this 
cemetery,  is  a  question  which  readily  suggests  itself. 
The  fact  that  there  are  no  existing  tribes  on  the  plains 
having  any  knowledge  of  pottery  would  indicate  that  the 
mounds  had  existed  for  a  very  long  time.  And  yet  there 
are  found  near  the  surface,  and  again  down  to  a  depth  of 
nine,  ten  or  fifteen  feet,  well-preserved  bones,  which  look 
as  if  they  had  not  been  buried  more  than  five  or  ten  years. 
Then,  again,  the  fact  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  there 
are  no  tribes  existing  that  will  own  to  any  knowledge  of 
these  mounds.  The  Indians  simply  say  they  are  spirit 
mounds,  concerning  which  they  know  nothing.  It  seems 
strange  that  they  should  have  been  forgotten,  even  within 
a  period  of  ioo  or  200  years,  since  the  Indians  have  very 
tenacious  memories  for  traditional  matters.  The  sexton 
of  this  cemetery  appeared  to  have  a  very  peculiar  way  of 
doing  his  work.  It  seems  that  human  bodies  were  buried, 
then  an  accumulation  of  grass  and  brush  was  thrown  over 
them  and  set  on  fire.  This  is  proved  by  the  fact  that 
above  the  bodies  will  be  found  from  two  to  three  inches  of 
ashes.  Then  it  looks  as  if  the  living  folks  had  remained 
in  the  vicinity  long  enough  to  cover  the  dead  remains 
with  broken  pottery  and  bones  of  animals.  The  whole 
would  then  be  covered  with  layers  of  rubbish,  such  as 
would  be  cleared  away  from  'the  tents  of  the  people  as  a 
sanitary  precaution,  Broken  pottery,  and  fragments  of 
bones  and  ashes  in  layers,  go  to  make  the  funeral  mounds 
complete. 

"In  the  ashes  are  found  charred  corn-cobs,  burned  bones 


Across  North  Dakota.  103 

and  charred  meat.  All  the  large  bones  that  are  found  are 
broken,  with  the  exception  of  the  human  bones.  Judging 
from  appearances,  this  was  not  only  a  great  cemetery,  but 
a  great  banqueting  place  also." 

Prairie  Dogs. — After  leaving  Mandan,  the  railroad 
passes  through  the  fertile  valley  of  the  Heart  river,  which 
tortuous  stream  it  crosses  at  frequent  intervals,  before 
reaching  Marmot,  the  next  station,  nine  miles  westward. 
Marmot  is  situated  on  a  high  plateau  near  the  confluence 
of  the  Heart  and  the  Sweet  Briar  rivers.  The  station 
derives  its  name  from  the  fact  that  a  prairie  dog  village 
existed  here  before  the  railroad  appeared.  As  the  train 
advances  westward  these  curious  little  animals  are  more 
abundant,  their  antics  affording  a  great  deal  of  amuse- 
ment to  passengers.  Colonel  Richard  I.  Dodge,  in  his 
book,  "  The  Plains  of  the  Great  West,"  writes  that  this 
"  well-known  animal  is  badly  named,  having  no  more  of 
the  dog  about  him  than  an  ordinary  gray  squirrel.  He  is 
a  species  of  marmot,  and  burrows  in  the  ground,  as  do 
wolves,  foxes,  raccoons,  skunks,  and  all  the  smaller  ani- 
mals on  the  treeless  plains.  He  lives  on  grass  and  roots, 
and  is  exceedingly  prolific,  each  female  bringing  forth  sev- 
eral sets  of  young  each  year.  He  is  not  excellent  eating, 
but  the  young  are  as  good  as  the  common  squirrel,  and 
when  other  flesh  meat  is  not  to  be  had,  they  make  no  un- 
welcome addition  to  the  bill  of  fare.  I  regard  the  prairie 
dog  as  a  machine  designed  by  nature  to  convert  grass  into 
flesh,  and  thus  furnish  proper  food  to  the  carnivora  of  the 
plains,  which  would  undoubtedly  soon  starve  but  for  the 
presence  in  such  numbers  of  this  little  animal.  He  is 
found  in  almost  every  section  of  the  open  prairie,  though 
he  prefers  dry  and  arid  to  moist  and  rich  localities.  He 
requires  no  moisture  and  no  variety  of  food.     The  scanty 


Across  XortJi  Dakota.  105 

grass  of  the  barest  prairie  appears  to  furnish  all  that  is 
requisite  for  his  comfortable  existence.  Though  not  in  a 
strict  sense  gregarious,  prairie  dogs  yet  are  fond  of  each 
other's  company,  and  dig  their  holes  in  close  vicinity. 
Such  a  collection  is  called  a  town,  and  they  sometimes 
extend  over  immense  areas.  The  numbers  of  inhabitants 
are  incalculable.  Cougars,  panthers,  wildcats,  wolves, 
foxes,  skunks  and  rattlesnakes  all  prey  upon  them  without 
causing  any  perceptible  diminution  of  their  immense 
numbers." 

The  west  bound  train  makes  a  steady  climb  of  twenty- 
eight  miles  after  crossing  the  Missouri  river,  through  a 
rather  rough  country,  and  stops  at  New  Salem,  in  the  midst 
of  a  rich  grain  and  grazing  region.  The  immediate  out- 
look is  not  particularly  inviting,  the  best  lands  being  hid- 
den from  view  by  broken  ranges  of  low  hills.  These  lands 
are  not  remote,  by  any  means,  as  might  be  imagined,  but 
lie  chiefly  within  easy  distance  of  the  town.  The  culti- 
vated sections  are  more  or  less  scattered.  Though  a  fair  per- 
centage of  the  lands  are  productive  in  one  form  or  another, 
the  desirable  spots  are  far  from  being  generally  occupied 
by  either  crops  or  live  stock.  A  colony  of  Germans  from 
Illinois  settled  down  in  the  neighborhood  in  1883  and  '84, 
made  good  farms  of  the  virgin  soil,  and  are  now  almost 
without  exception  in  comfortable  circumstances.  These 
mans  still  form  the  largest  portion  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  region.  Some  Americans  are  located  here  and  there 
who  have  been  equally  prosperous,  one  season's  crops 
alone  making  them  independent.  Fine  vegetables  are 
\vn  in  the  vicinity,  and  the  extent  of  the  dairy  product 
mething  remarkable. 
Sims  (36  miles  west  of  Mandan)  was  built  principally 
in  1883  by   the    N.   P.  Coal  company,    that  developed    that 


106  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

year  the  coalmines  opened  in  '78.  Three  companies  have 
opened  mines,  shipping,  during  the  winter  season,  from 
200  to  250  cars  a  month.  The  coal  is  a  superior  quality  of 
lignite,  easily  mined  from  veins  seven  feet  in  thickness. 
It  is  shipped  east  to  Mandan,  Bismarck,  Jamestown  and 
intermediate  points,  and  to  towns  on  the  Jamestown  & 
Northern  and  the  James  River  valley  branch.  It  can  be 
delivered  at  those  points  so  much  more  cheaply  and 
quickly  than  Eastern  coal,  that  a  steady  demand  exists  for 
it,  and  a  reliable,  profitable  market  is  found  near  at  hand. 
This  lignite  burns  steadily,  makes  an  intense  heat  and 
creates  no  soot. 

A  great  stretch  of  country,  admirably  adapted  for  graz- 
ing, extends  to  the  north  and  south  of  the  Northern  Pacific 
railroad  in  Oliver  and  Morton  counties,  which  should  be 
made  productive.  An  abundance  of  Government  and  rail- 
road land  is  obtainable  any  where  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Sims,  which  is  well  watered  by  three  running  streams, 
emptying  into  the  Little  Muddy,  which  in  turn  delivers  its 
waters  in  the  Heart  river  fifteen  miles  south.  Almost  any 
number  of  sheep  or  cattle  ranches  could  be  located  on  these 
lands  and  made  highly  profitable  by  careful  management. 
The  railroad  lands  are  offered  on  terms  which  anybody 
could  comply  with,  and  in  many  sections  they  would  pro- 
duce grain. 

Hebron  is  a  settlement  composed  in  great  part  of  col- 
onists of  the  German  Evangelical  faith,  from  Illinois  and 
Wisconsin,  and  German-Russians,  who  migrated  from  the 
Province  of  Besserabiain  Russia  to  avoid  military  conscrip- 
tion, and  to  find  homes  in  a  free  country.  These  people  are 
thrifty  and  industrious  and  make  the  best  of  the  resources 
of  the  country.  Many  of  them  build  substantial  houses 
from  the  prairie  turf,  with  good  roofs  thatched  with  straw, 


Across  North  Dakota.  107 

They  understand  the  care  of  cattle  and  the  raising  of  grain, 
and  although  they  arrived  with  very  little  money,  they  are, 
as  a  rule,  in  comfortable  circumstances.  The  road  here 
crosses  a  branch  of  the  Big  Knife  river,  which  makes  a 
handsome  and  fertile  valley. 

Gladstone  (549  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population  500). — 
This  town  was  laid  out  in  the  spring  of  1882  by  a  colony 
from  Ripon,  Wisconsin,  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Green 
river,  and  named  in  honor  of  the  great  English  statesman. 
The  situation  of  the  town  is  pleasant,  and  the  surrounding 
country  for  many  miles  is  settled.  At  Lehigh,  between 
Gladstone  and  Dickinson,  are  great  fields  of  coal  of  a  good 
variety  for  heating  and  cooking  purposes.  This  coal  is 
apparently  of  a  recent  formation,  and  emits  no  smoke  or 
disagreeable  odor,  but  burns  like  wood  and  equally  as  fast. 
It  is  shipped  as  far  east  as  Fargo. 

The  farming  community  of  the  eastern  portion  of  Stark 
county,  composed  mostly  of  Russians,  supply  themselves 
with  the  native  coal,  found  either  upon  their  own*  or 
neighbors'  farms,  without  any  cost  but  that  of  digging  it 
from  the  side  of  the  bank,  build  their  own  houses  of  native 
stone — or  rubble — plaster  and  fill  in  the  chinks  and  cracks 
with  an  excellent  plaster,  made  from  the  clay  and  sand, 
farm  the  little  valleys,  herd  their  stock  on  the  range  of 
table  lands,  work  hard  and  grow  rich  and  contented.  A 
number  of  Russians  who  live  in  this  part  of  Stark  county 
have  money  on  deposit  in  the  bank,  own  their  farms,  cattle 
and  sheep,  free  from  mortgage,  to  the  value  of  thousands 
of  dollars.     They  were  very  poor,  eight  or  ten  years  ago. 

Dickinson  (no  miles  west  of  the  Missouri  river  and  560 
miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  i,ooo),  is  an  active  town  in 
the  valley  of  the  Heart  river.  The  ground  on  the  outskirts 
of  the  town  gradually  slopes   to  the  south,  giving  a  line 


Across  North  Dakota.  100 

opportunity  for  drainage.  Being  the  end  of  a  freight 
division  of  the  N.  P.,  there  are  railroad  shops  and  a 
roundhouse  here.  Dickinson  is  the  county  seat  of  Stark 
county.  Tne  tributary  country  is  well  watered,  and  the 
rainfall  in  spring  and  summer  is  sufficient  to  insure  good 
crops.  Many  thousands  of  acres  are  already  under  culti- 
vation, and  there  are  excellent  stock  ranges  within  thirty 
miles  of  the  town.  The  coal  beds  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
produce  a  good  quality  of  lignite,  and  a  fine  grade  of  clay 
for  brickmaking,  and  sandstone  for  building  purposes  is 
found  in  the  neighboring  bluffs. 

Between  Stark  county's  western  boundary  and  Dickinson 
is  the  limit,  practically,  of  North  Dakota's  tillable  soil. 
But  there  is  no  limit  to  the  grazing  lands.  Stock  growers 
thrive  everywhere  west  of  the  Missouri  river — in  the  grain 
sections  of  Morton  and  Stark  counties,  and  in  the  Bad 
Lands  to  the  west.  In  the  country  round  about  Dickinson 
only  a  small  part  of  the  land  has  been  cultivated,  stock 
raising  having  always  been  the  chief  occupation  of  the 
residents.  A  few  miles  west  of  Dickinson  may  be  said  to 
be  the  extreme  western  point  where  crops  can  be  profitably 
raised  without  irrigation  until  Eastern  Washington  is 
reached. 

The  "Bad  Lands. "— At  Fryburg  the  train  suddenly 
leaves  the  beautiful  rolling  prairies,  and  enters  a  long  cut 
a  down  grade,  presently  emerging  upon  a  region,  the 
startling  appearance  of  which  will  keep  the  vision  alert 
until  the  Little  Missouri  river  is  reached,  fourteen  miles 
ond.  Here  are  the  Bad  Lands,  sometimes  called  Pyr- 
amid Park,  which  show  that  the  mighty  forces  of  water 
and  fire,  fiercely  battling,  have  wrought  a  scene  of  strange 
>n.  Buttes,  from  50  to  150  feet  in  height,  with 
rounded  summits  an<  k}es,  variegated  by  broad  hori- 


110  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

zontal  bands  of  color,  stand  closely  crowded  together. 
The  black  arid  brown  stripes  are  due  to  veins  of  impure 
lignites,  from  the  burning  of  which  are  derived  the  shades 
of  red,  while  the  raw  clay  varies  from  a  dazzling  white  to 
a  dark  gray.  The  mounds  are  in  every  conceivable  form, 
and  are  composed  of  different  varieties  of  argillaceous 
limestone,  friable  sandstone  and  lignite,  lying  in  successive 
strata.  The  coloring  is  very  rich.  Some  of  the  buttes 
have  bases  of  yellow,  intermediate  girdles  of  pure  white, 
and  tops  of  deepest  red,  while  others  are  blue,  brown  and 
gray.  There  are  also  many  of  these  elevations  which,  in 
the  hazy  distance,  seem  like  ocean  billows  stiffened  and  at 
rest. 

Between  these  curiously  shaped  and  vari-colored  mounds 
there  are  sharp  ravines  and  gulches,  which  are  often  the 
beds  of  shallow  streams.  Here  and  there  are  broader 
spaces,  covered  with  rich  grass,  and  flecked  with  a  growth 
of  ground  juniper  of  delicious  fragrance.  No  trees  worthy 
of  the  name  are  seen;  but  a  fringe  of  gnarled  and  mis- 
shapen pines  occasionally  presents  itself  along  the  water 
channels.  In  ages  long  ago,  however,  dense  forests  existed 
in  these  Bad  Lands.  There  is  evidence  of  this  primeval 
growth  in  the  abundant  petrifactions  of  tree  stumps,  four 
to  eight  feet  in  diameter,  which  are  in  portions  translucent 
as  rock  crystals,  and  susceptible  of  as  high  a  polish.  Fine 
specimens  of  fossil  leaves,  of  the  Pliocene  age,  changed  by 
the  heat  of  the  burning  lignite  into  a  brilliant  scarlet,  but 
retaining  their  reticulations  perfect,  are  also  found.  The 
coal,  still  burning,  gives  a  plutonic  aspect  to  the  whole 
region,  one  fiery  mass  not  far  from  the  railroad  being 
easily  mistaken  at  night  for  an  active  volcano,  the  cliffs  hav- 
ing close  resemblance  to  volcanic  scoria.  Among  the  many 
other  fossil  remains  are  oysters,  clams  and   crustaceans, 


In  "The   Bad  Lands."  Ill 

The  seeker  for  geological  curiosities  has  here  a  fine  field 
in  which  to  work. 

The  term  Bad  Lands,  as  applied  to  this  region,  is  a 
gross  misnomer.  It  conveys  the  idea  that  the  tract  is 
worthless  for  agricultural  and  stock-raising  purposes. 
Nothing  could  be  wider  from  the  truth.  The  fact  is,  the 
soil  possesses  fertilizing  properties  in  excess,  and  the  lux- 
uriant grasses  which  here  flourish,  attract  herbivorous 
game  animals  in  large  numbers.  The  designation  "  Bad 
Lands  ['  is  derived  from  the  times  of  the  old  French  voya- 
geurs,  who,  in  their  trapping  and  hunting  expeditions  in 
the  service  of  the  great  fur  companies,  described  the  region 
as  "  mouvaises  terres  pour  traverser"  meaning  that  it  was  a 
difficult  region  to  travel  through  with  ponies  and  pack 
animals.  This  French  descriptive  term  was  carelessly 
translated  and  shortened  into  "  bad  lands,"  and  thus  has 
resulted  a  wholly  false  impression  of  the  agricultural  value 
of  the  country. 

The  entire  region,  geologists  tell  us,  was  once  the  bed 
of  a  great  lake,  on  the  bottom  of  which  were  deposited, 
for  ages,  the  rich  clays  and  loams  which  the  rains  carried 
down  into  its  waters.  This  deposit  of  soil  was  arrested 
from  time  to  time  sufficiently  long  to  allow  the  growth  of 
luxuriant  vegetation,  which  subsequently  decayed,  and 
was  consolidated  by  the  pressure  of  succeeding  deposits, 
transforming  itself  into  those  vast  beds  of  lignite  coal 
which  abundantly  meet  the  need  of .  the  country  for  fuel. 
The  various  strata  thus  deposited  are  all  of  recent  origin, 
and,  being  without  cementing  ingredients,  remain  soft, 
and  easily  washed  by  the  rains.  When  at  last  this  vast 
lake  found  an  outlet  in  the  Missouri,  the  wear  and  wash  of 
these  strata,  under  the  action  of  rain  and  frost,  were  very 
great.     Hence  the  water-courses,  especially  the  minor  ones, 


In  "  The  Bad  Lands"  113 

where  the  wash  lias  not  had  time  enough  to  make  broad- 
valleys,  have  precipitous  banks,  and  high  inclosing  bluffs, 
with  curiously  furrowed  and  corrugated  sides  usually  bare 
of  vegetation,  and  showing  only  the  naked  edges  of  the 
rich  soils  of  which  they  are  composed.  The  tops  of  these 
bluffs  and  buttes  are  on  the  general  level  of  the  whole 
country,  and  are  equally  as  fertile.  This  is  shown  by  the 
hotel  garden  at  the  Little  Missouri,  where,  in  the  very  heart 
of  the  "  Bad  Lands,"  and  on  the  summit  of  the  highest 
bluff,  a  level  spot  was  chosen  and  planted,  which  annually 
yields  heavy  crops  of  vegetables,  the  potatoes  alone  pro- 
ducing as  many  as  300  bushels  to  the  acre.  But  these  Bad 
Lands,  misnamed  as  they  are,  form  a  very  small  part  of 
the  country, — they  are  conspicuous  from  the  fact  that  the 
chaos  of  buttes  is  so  curious  and  fantastic  in  form  and 
beautiful  in  .varied  color.  From  the  railroad,  which  nat- 
urally follows  the  valleys  between  these  strangely  formed, 
isolated  mounds  and  hills,  the  view  of  the  broad,  open 
country  which  lies  on  a  level  with  their  tops,  is  shut  off. 

Prof.  X.  H.  Winchell,  of  Minnesota,  who  accompanied 
Gen.  Custer  as  geologist  on  his  Black  Hills  expedition  in 
the  summer  of  1874,  thus  describes  the  general  formation 
of  this  region  : 

"Although    I    call    these    bad   lands    (for  so   they   are 

-rally  known  among  the  men  who  have  before  crossed 
here),  they  are  not  so  bad  as  I  had  been  led  to  expect  from 

criptions  that  I  have  read.     There  is  no  great  difficulty 
in    passing  through   them  with  a  train.     There  are  a  great 
many  bare  clay  and   sand    buttes,  and  deep,  perpendicular 
cut  by  streams  in  rainy  seasons  ;  but  there  are  also 
many  level  and  gi  netimes  beautiful  valleys, 

witl  >nally  a  few  trees  and   shrubs.     There  is  but 

little  water  in  here,  the  most  thai  we  have  found  being  due 


114  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

to  recent  rains.  The  tops  of  a  great  many  of  the  buttes 
are  red  and  often  they  are  overstrewn  with  what  appears 
like  volcanic  scoria.  This,  I  am  satisfied,  arises  from  the 
burning  of  the  lignite,  which  occurs  in  nearly  all  these 
lands,  there  being  one  large  bed  of  it,  and  somecimes  two 
distinct  beds  in  the  same  slope.  The  lignite  is  ignited  by 
fires  that  sometimes  prevail  over  the  plains,  set  by  Indians, 
and  when  fanned  by  the  strong  winds  that  sweep  across 
them,  produce  a  very  intense  heat,  fusing  over  the  under- 
lying beds  and  mixing  their  materials  in  a  confused  slag, 
which,  although  generally  of  a  reddish  color,  is  sometimes 
of  various  colors.  The  clay  makes  a  very  hard,  vitreous 
or  pottery-like  slag,  and  is  sometimes  green  or  brown. 
Iron  stains  the  whole  with  some  shade  of  red." 

James  W.  Foley,  Jr.,  in  a  letter  to  the  Northwest  Maga- 
zine, gives  the  following  description  of  "The  Capital,"  a 
decidedly  novel  feature  of  the  Bad  Lands: 

"The  original  of  the  view  of  'The  Capital'  stands,  grim 
and  imposing,  in  the  center  of  a  decidedly  level  tract  of 
land,  like  some  huge  monument  upon  its  pedestal.  As  is 
readily  observed  from  a  mere  glance  at  the  picture,  the 
diameter  of  the  stump  proper  exceeds  that  of  the  pillar, 
and,  from  its  inclined  position  upon  its  support,  the  stump 
would  seem  easily  displaced.  Nevertheless  it  remains 
firmly  imbedded  in  the  soil  underneath,  and  defies  the  ef- 
forts of  winds  of  almost  cyclonic  force  to  dislodge  it. 

"Scattered  here  and  there  over  its  surface  are  masses  of 
crystalline  formation,  which  sparkle  and  glisten  beauti- 
fully in  the  sunshine,  and  which,  in  connection  with  its 
othercurious  characteristics,  give  to  the  whole  formation  the 
appearance  of  some  statue  of  a  giant  warrior,  whose  jewel- 
bedecked  helmet  flashes  with  the  glints  of  refracted  sun- 
shine. 


In  "The  Bad  Lands:'  115 

*•  While  there  exist,  scattered  in  reckless  abundance, 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  famous  Bad 
Lands,  innumerable  stumps  and  trunks  of  petrified  trees, 
such  freaks  of  capricious  nature  as  this  are  very  rare; 
and  it  is  well  worth  the  time  of  any  one  with  an  eye  to 
the  artistic,  to  visit  and  satisfy  himself  as  to  the  truth  of 
the  existence  of  such  a  curiosity. 

"  The  most  plausible  theory  as  to  the  slow  change  from 
a  once  solid  foundation  to  the  present  insecure  support, 
and  the  theory  which  is  generally  accepted  by  those  who 
have  seen  for  themselves,  is,  that  the  tree,  the  stump  of 
which  now  remains,  originally  grew  upon  a  conical  eleva- 
tion. In  the  course  of  time,  this  elevation,  being  composed 
of  but  a  sandy,  clayey  soil,  has  been  eroded  by  the  action 
of  the  elements;  and,  of  course,  the  lower  part  of  the  hill 
having  been  more  sensible  to  the  action  of  water,  was 
washed  away  first,  until  the  shape  was  changed  from  coni- 
cal to  cylindrical. 

"If,  on  some  summer  evening,  you  stand  upon  some 
neighboring  hill-top  and  look  down  upon  its  statuesque 
outline,  you  are  seized  with  an  indefinite  feeling  of  awe; 
and  the  very  fact  of  its  curious  position  inspires  you  with 
an  indescribable  respect  for  Nature  and  her  wonderful 
work 

Medora,  situated  in  the  mid  St  of  the  Bad  Lands,  sur- 
rounded by  high  bluffs  and  appearing  strangely  out  of 
place  in  this  land  of  solitude  and  freaks,  is  600  miles  from 
St.  Paul  and  1 S  cast  of  the  Montana  line.  The  town  was 
built  primarily  by  the  Marquis  de  Mores,  a  Frenchman  of 
considerable  note  and  gigantic  projects,  great  wealth  and 
enterprise,  early  in  the  '80s,  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
men  employed  in  his  big  beef  slaughter  and  packing 
houses,  which  may  be  seen  from  the  train.       They    have 


Buttes  in  Pyramid  Park 
116 


In  "The  Bad  Lands."  117 

been  unoccupied  for  several  years,  as  have  the  few  store- 
rooms and  dwelling  houses.  There  were  at  one  time 
nearly  500  people  living  in  the  town  and  on  the  Marquis' 
adjoining  cattle  ranch.  He  spent  several  hundred  thous- 
and dollars  trying  to  establish  a  profitable  business  in  the 
supplying  of  dressed  beef,  shipped  in  his  own  refrigerator 
cars,  to  the  Eastern  markets,  but  was  finally  forced  to 
abandon  the  idea  by  the  opposition  of  more  powerful  in- 
terests which  were  jeopardized  by  this  enterprise. 

Cattle  Raising  in  the  Bad  Lands.— Hon.  Theodore 
Roosevelt,  of  New   York,  who  owns    a  cattle    ranch    near 
iora,  in    an  article    in   the  Bismarck    Tribune,  wrote  as 
follows  on  the  subject  of  cattle  raising  in  the  Bad  Lands: 

"  Roughly  speaking,  the  stretch  of  country  known  among 
cattle  men  as  the  '  Dakota  Bad  Lands/  occupies  the  west- 
ern portion  of  North  Dakota,  from  the  Black  Hills  region 
on  the  south,  to  the  Missouri  on  the  north;  that  is,  it  com- 
prises the  country  drained  by  the  Little  Missouri  river, 
and  the  waters  running  into  it.  This  river  runs  in  long 
loops,  which  enclose  fertile  bottoms,  through  a  nar- 
bounded  on  each  side  by  a  line  of  jagged 
buttes,  back  of  which  stretches  a  mass  of  very  rough  and 
broken  hill  country,  rent  and  cleft  in  all  directions  by  deep, 
winding  ravines,  and  narrow,  canon-like  valleys.  Creeks 
i  into  the  river  every  few  miles.  At  certain  seasons 
their  beds  hold  foaming  torrents,  while  during  the  rest  of 
tin*  3  either  perfectly  dry,  or  consist  merely  of 

ill,  shallow  pools,  with  here  and  there  a  deep 

spring  hole.     5  f  the  alluvial  river  bottoms  are  thickly 

timbered  with  cot  1  <  »n wood,  and  in  ;i  few  of  the  ravines 
there    is    a    growth    of   pine    and    cedar.      The    Bad    Lands 

om  five  to  twenty  miles,  when 
come  out  on   the  level  prairie,  which  gives  tin  fine 


118  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

feed  in  summer,  but  offers  them  no  shelter  whatever  from 
the  bitter  winds  of  winter. 

"The  herds  of  the  stockmen  now  graze  fifty  miles  north, 
and  many  times  that  distance  south,  of  the  railroad.  The 
cattlemen  through  the  Bad  Lands  have  formed  themselves 
into  a  stock  association,  and  most  of  them,  in  addition, 
have  joined  the  great  Montana  stock  association.  Their 
round-up  takes  in  all  the  country  along  the  Little  Missouri, 
from  Box  Alder  creek  on  the  south  to  below  the  Big  Beaver 
creek  on  the  north,  including  the  ranges  of  some  fifteen 
or  twenty  stock  outfits  along  a  river  front  of  nearly  two 
hundred  miles.  Each  such  outfit  may  have  from  500  to 
10,000  head  of  stock,  and  from  10  to  100  head  of  ponies 
with  which  to  herd  them.  There  is  plenty  of  timber  for 
building  purposes;  the  home  ranch  of  each  outfit  consists 
of  a  log  house,  or  shack,  containing  one  or  many  rooms, 
according  to  the  way  the  inmates  appreciate  comfort  and 
the  decencies  of  life;  near  by  is  a  log  stable  and  outbuild- 
ings, a  strong,  high,  circular  horse  corral,  with  a  snubbing 
post  in  the  center,  and  further  off  the  larger  cow  corral,  in 
which  the  calves  are  branded,  etc. 

"The  country  is  covered  with  a  growth  of  short  bunch 
grass,  which  cures  on  the  stalk  into  excellent  hay  for  win- 
ter feed  ;  it  is  very  nutritious,  and  upon  it  range  cattle 
become  as  fat  as  stall-fed  oxen.  Over  most  of  the  land 
there  is  nothing  but  this  grass,  and  the  bitter,  grayish 
green  sage  brush;  except  for  a  few  weeks  in  spring,  when 
the  first  growth  forms  a  mantle  of  green,  the  whole  land  is 
colored  a  monotonous,  dull  brown,  which,  joined  to  the 
extraordinary  shape  and  bizarre  coloring  of  the  water-worn 
buttes,  gives  the  landscape  a  look  of  grim  and  forbidding 
desolation,  although  this  very  look  of  loneliness,  sameness 
and  vastness,  also  gives  it  an  intense   attraction  for  some 


In  ilThc  Bad  Lands."  119 

men,  including  myself.  This  forbidding  aspect  of  the  land, 
however,  completely  belies  its  real  character;  the  dull, 
barren-looking  country,  clad  with  withered  brown  grass,  in 
reality  offers  as  fine  grazing  as  can  be  found  anywhere  in  the 
West,  while  the  cliffs  and  broken  valleys  offer  almost  perfect 
shelter  to  the  animals  in  the  winter.  The  loss  among  cat- 
tle during  the  winter,  no  matter  how  severe  the  weather,  is 
surprisingly  small,  always  excepting,  of  course,  half-starved 
'  pilgrims,'  or  cattle  put  on  the  range  late  in  the  fall,  and 
in  poor  condition.  The  rainfall  is  slight,  and  the  snow 
rarely  covers  the  ground  to  any  depth.  The  water  supply 
back  of  the  river  is  scanty,  and  the  country  is  wholly  unfit 
for  agricultural  purposes;  recognizing  which  fact,  the  last 
legislature  very  wisely  repealed  the  herd  law,  in  so  far  as  it 
affected  the  western  tier  of  counties,  and  the  cattle  men 
arc  now  free  from  the  fear  of  being  sued  by  every  unscru- 
pulous adventurer  who  palms  himself  off  as  a  granger,  and 
declines  to  fence  in  his  few  acres  of  grain  or  vegetables. 
The  scantiness  of  the  water  supply  is  no  harm  to  thecattle 
men,  as  in  summer  the  beasts  keep  within  a  few  miles  of 
the  river,  principal  creeks  or  large  water  holes,  and  thus 
h-ave  a  great  stretch  of  back  country  over  which  they 
have,  not  grazed,  and  which  affords  them  excellent  winter 
1  when  ice  has  closed  up  all  the  ponds  and  streams,  and 
they  arc  obliged  to  slake  their  thirst  by  eating  snow. 

"  Each  ranchman  puts  up  a  certain  amount  of  hay  for 
winter  use  for  such  horses  as  he  constantly  rides,  to  help 
OUt  any  sick  animals  which  he  finds,  etc.  So  far,  all  this 
hay  has  been  wild,  and  has  been  cut  on  the  tops  of  the 
us;  but  the  time  is  rapidly  approaching  when 
the  ranchmen  will  be  obliged  to  fence  in  Large  patches  of 
ground  and  raise  a  hay  crop — by  preference,  alfalfa,  if  on 
further  trial  it  proves  that  it  will  grow, 


In  "The  Bad  bands."  121 

"  The  excellence  of  the  Bad  Lands  as  a  country  for  fatten- 
ing steers  has  been  proved  beyond  all  doubt;  as  yet  it  is 
too  early  to  say  definitely  how  it  will  turn  out  as  a  region 
for  raising  stock.  Last  year  the  calf  crop  was  very  light; 
but  it  is  believed  that  this  was  mainly  due  to  the  very 
insufficient  number  of  bulls  on  the  range,  as  a  number  of 
the  outfits  have  yet  to  learn  that  it  is  criminal  folly  to 
expect  to  get  along  with  the  same  proportionate  quantity 
of  bulls  loose  on  the  range  as  would  do  on  an  Eastern 
farm.  There  will  always  be  a  lack  of  calves  until  the  sup- 
ply of  bulls  is  mUch  more  ample  than  at  the  present  time. 
Still,    appearances   indicate   a    much  larger  calf  crop   this 

r  than  was  the  case  last.  Along  the  river,  as  a  whole, 
the  steers  greatly  out-number  the  female  stock.  Horned 
cattle,  and  also  horses,  do  excellently;  but  all  efforts  at 
sheep-raising  have  so  far  been  flat  failures, — for  which  the 
cattle  men  are  sincerely  grateful.  The  sheep  have  in  each 
case  died  by  the  score  and  the  hundred,  but  a  small  per- 
centage surviving  the  first  winter.  Many  of  the  ranchmen 
and  small  stock  owners  have  now  brought  out  their  wives, 
and  the  country,  which  four  years  ago  was  an  empty  wil- 

ness,  or  with  straggling  bands  of  Indians  and  parties  of 
hunters,  is  now  settled  by  a  thriving  and  prosperous  class 
of  men,  and    in   many  spots  a  most  pleasant  home  life   is 

wing  up.  The  ranchmen  are  hearty,  open  handed  and 
hospitable.  The  cow  boys  are  a  fearless,  generous,  good- 
natured  set  of  men,  much  misrepresented  in  some  Eastern 
pers.  Of  course,  there  are  tools  in  all  classes,  and  the 
of  cow  boy  likes  to  come  into  town  and  get 
drunk,  and  go  about  yelling  and  shooting  in  the  air,  firing 
at  the  ear  wheels  of  a  pa  rain,  or  perhaps  shooting 

off  the  h  ne  well-d  tranger  who  looks  small 

and    timid.      But,    if    a    man    keeps    away    from    drinking 


122  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

saloons,  does  not  put  on  airs,  and  at  the  same  time,  shows 
that  he  does  not  intend  to  stand  any  nonsense,  he  can 
safely  reckon  upon  first-class  treatment  in  cow-boy  land.' 

Little  Missouri  is  a  small  village  just  across  the  river 
from  Medora.  There  is  a  coal  mine  on  the  bluffs  close  at 
hand.  There  is  an  abandoned  military  post  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  from  the  place.  Soon  after  leaving  the  Little  Missouri 
river  the  country  westward  becomes  less  rough,  although 
the  railroad  passes  through  many  cuts  and  ravines.  Grad- 
ually, however,  the  feature  of  the  landscape  is  that  of  broad, 
rolling  prairie,  marked  here  and  there  by  isolated  buttes. 

Sentinel  Butte  is  a  prominent  object  on  the  left  hand, 
not  far  from  the  track.  The  top  of  this  eminence  is  visible 
on  clear  days  at  a  distance  of  thirty  miles,  but  looks  only 
to  be  about  three  miles  off,  so  deceptive  is  the  luminous 
atmosphere.  This  region  abounds  in  moss  agates,  speci- 
mens of  which  are  found  near  the  foot  of  the  buttes,  of 
great  size  and  beauty.  A  well-known  army  officer,  who 
was  at  one  time  stationed  here,  secured  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  these  agates  so  large  that  they  were  converted  into 
dessert  knife  handles  and  served  as  a  unique  and  hand- 
some present  to  a  lady  on  her  wedding  day. 

Sentinel  Butte,  in  spite  of  its  precipitous  faces,  as  seen 
from  the  railroad,  is  easy  of  access  on  the  side  remotest 
from  the  track.  On  its  summit  there  is  half  an  acre  of 
level  ground.  Buffalo  were  very  partial  to  this  elevation, 
and  sometimes  resorted  to  it  in  so  large  numbers  that 
many  were  crowded  over  the  brink.  The  bones  of  these 
animals  lie  in  heaps  at  the  foot  of  the  precipice,  whitened 
by  the  weather.  One  mile  west  of  Sentinel  Butte  station, 
the  boundary  between  North  Dakota  and  Montana  is 
crossed.  The  line  is  marked  by  a  tall  pole,  upon  which  is 
nailed  a  fine  pair  of  antlers. 


SEVEN  HUNDRED  MILES  IN  MONTANA, 


The  State  of  Montana. — This  beautiful  State,  named 
3n  account  of  its  mountainous  character,  is  one  of  the 
largest  in  the -Union,  being  surpassed  in  area  by  Texas 
and  California  only.  It  averages  275  miles  from  north  to 
south,  and  550  miles  from  east  to  west,  stretching  through 
120  of  longitude,  and  from  1040  to  1160  west  of  Greenwich, 
and  lies  for  the  most*  part  between  the  forty-fifth  and 
forty-ninth  parallels  of  north  latitude.  Its  southern 
boundary  is  in  about  the  latitude  of  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  and 
its  northern  line  joins  the  British  possessions.  The 
Northern  Pacific  railroad  runs  through  the  State  from  the 
southeast  corner  almost  to  the  northwest  corner,  a  distance 
of  a  little  over  700  miles. 

The  mean  height  of  Montana  above  the  ocean  level  is 
estimated  at  3,900  feet,  the  greatest  elevation  among  the 
mountain  peaks  being  11,000  feet,  and  the  lowest,  on  the 
Missouri  river,  being  about  2,000  feet.  Of  the  93,000,000 
acres  contained  within  the  limits  of  the  State,  two-fifths  are 
mountainous  and  three-fifths  valley  or  rolling  plains.  The 
water-shed  between  the  Atlantic  and  the  Pacific  oceans, 
the  main  chain  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  traverses  the 
western  portion  of  Montana  in  a  course  of  a  little  west  of 
north,  leaving  about  one-fourth  of  the  entire  State  on  the 
•'in  slope  and  three  fourths  on  the  eastern.  In  the 
central    part  of  the    State  are    the  Bull,    Belt,   the    Little 


124  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

Rocky  and  other  smaller  mountain  ranges,  which,  with 
many  lateral  spurs  and  detached  groups,  give  that  great 
diversity  of  rocky  ridges,  broad  plateaus  and  pleasant 
valleys  which  render  the  country  extremely  picturesque. 
The  highest  summits  are  those  of  the  Peaks  of  Gallatin, 
about  ioo  miles  south  of  Bozeman  and  plainly  visible  from 
the  car  windows  as  the  train  runs  down  the  Gallatin 
valley  west  of  that  town.  These  peaks  have  an  altitude  of 
over  11,000  feet.  Next  highest  is  the  Lo  Lo  peak  in  the 
Bitter  Root  range,  which  can  be  seen  from  Missoula. 
Montana  is  well  supplied  with  rivers.  Her  great  water- 
courses are  Clark's  Fork  of  the  Columbia  and  the  Missouri 
river,  the  latter  with  many  important  tributaries.  The 
Clark's  Fork  drains  40,000  miles  of  the  State,  and  flows 
into  the  Columbia  river;  while  the  Missouri  and  its  tribu- 
taries, the  Milk,  the  Yellowstone,  the  Teton,  the  Marias, 
the  Judith,  the  Musselshell,  the  Jefferson,  the  Madison  and 
the  Gallatin  carry  off  the  waters  of  double  that  area. 
These  rivers  are  navigated  by  steamboats  a  distance  of 
1,500  miles  within  the  limits  of  the  State.  Montana  has  a 
number  of  beautiful  lakes,  the  largest  of  which  is  Flathead, 
in  Missoula  county,  ten  by  thirty  miles  in  size.  The 
cataracts  of  the  Missouri  river  between  the  town  of  Great 
Falls  and  the  town  of  Fort  Benton  are  the  most  striking 
scenic  features  in  Northern  Montana.  There  are  three 
principal  falls,  the  Black  Eagle,  the  Rainbow  and  the 
Great  Falls;  and  three  minor  falls  are  within  a  distance 
of  twenty  miles.  The  height  of  the  Great  Falls  is  eighty 
feet,  that  of  the  Rainbow  fifty  feet,  and  that  of  the  Black 
Eagle  fifty  feet. 

The  agricultural  lands  of  Montana  lie  mainly  in  the 
valleys  of  the  large  rivers  and  their,  affluents.  These  val- 
leys, usually  old  lake  basins  which  have  received  the  wash 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  125 

from  the  surrounding  mountains,  have  an  alluvial  soil 
which  has  proved  to  be  very  fertile.  The  land  has  gener- 
ally a  gentle  and  regular  slope  from  the  higher  ground 
which  separates  the  valleys  from  the  foot-hills,  and  this  is 
a  fact  of  great  importance  in  its  bearing  upon  irrigation. 
So  uniform  is  the  slope  that,  in  almost  every  instance,when 
water  is  conducted  by  means  of  a  ditch  from  any  stream  it 
may  be  made  to  flow  over  every  foot  of  land  in  the  valley 
below.  The  uplands  (or  bench  lands,  as  they  are  commonly 
termed)  are  simply  continuations  of  the  valleys  at  a  higher 
elevation.  They  frequently  look  like  artificial  terraces  of 
enormous  size,  rising  one  above  the  other;  and  where  the 
quantity  of  water  in  the  stream  above  admits  the  irrigation 
of  the  bench  lands,  they  are  also  found  to  be  very  produc- 
tive. Beyond  these  terraces  are  the  foot-hills,  with  rounded 
tops  and  grassy  slopes,  .and  behind  these  loom  up  the 
mountains,  crowned  with  a  scanty  growth  of  pine  and  fir, 
although  the  slopes  and  valleys  are  always  destitute  of 
these  varieties  of  timber.  There  are  no  deciduous  trees, 
either,  excepting  groves  of  cottonwood  and  willows  along 
the  water-courses,  and  occasional  copses  of  quaking  asp  in 
wet  places  on  the  sides  of  the  mountains.  Only  in  the 
extreme  northwestern  part  of  the  State  is  a  very  large  body 
of  magnificent  timber,  covering  mountains  and  plains  alike. 
Eastern  Montana,  stretching  from  the  base  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains  to  the  boundary  of  the  Dakotas  and  embracing 
an  area  of  90,000  square  miles,  is  divided  into  three  belts  of 
nearly  equal  size  by  the  Missouri  and  Yellowstone  rivers. 
On  the  west  and  south  are  mountains  timbered  with  pine 
and  fir,  and  from  them  issue  many  streams,  which  abun- 
dantly water  the  country.  The  ground  is  covered  with  a 
rich  growth  of  bunch  grass,  which  makes  the  region  an 
excellent  stock  range.    But  the  large  area  of  grassy  rolling 


126  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

table  lands  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  State  is  pre-emi- 
nently the  place  for  cattle-raising  and  sheep  husbandry. 
The  resources  of  the  entire  State  are  varied  and  very  valu- 
able. Millions  of  acres  of  good  agricultural  land  are 
awaiting  development;  but,  owing  to  the  light  rainfall 
irrigation  is  generally  necessary. 

Mining  has  always  been,  and  probably  will  continue  to 
be,  the  leading  industry.  The  Drum  Lummon  mine,  at 
Marysville,  near  Helena,  has  probably  produced  more  gold 
than  any  other  mine  in  the  world.  The  Granite  Mountain 
mine,  at  Phillipsburg,  in  Western  Montana,  is  the  most 
valuable  silver  mine  in  the  world.  The  mines  at  Butte, 
which  furnish  the  ore  for  the  great  smelters  and  reduction 
works  at  Anaconda,  are  the  most  productive  copper  mines 
in  the  world,  and  yield  a  great  deal  of  silver.  Besides 
these  famous  mines,  there  are  many  other  rich  deposits  of 
ore  which  yield  large  annual  returns  to  the  companies 
working  them.  Considerable  placer  gold  is  still  obtained 
by  hydraulic  processes,  and  a  good  deal  is  taken  out  of  the 
old  gulches  by  individual  miners  working  with  sluice  boxes 
and  quicksilver.  Montana's  total  annual  yield  of  precious 
metals  is  over  $30,000,000. 

The  stock-raising  interest  of  Montana  ranks  next  in 
the  value  of  its  annual  product'  to  the  mining  interest. 
Cattle,  sheep  and  horses  are  raised  in  great  numbers  on  the 
plains  and  on  the  well-grassed  foot-hills  of  the  mountain 
ranges.  The  cattle  and  sheep  are  marketed  chiefly  in  St. 
Paul  and  Chicago.  The  wool  goes  mostly  to  Boston. 
Montana  horses  have  won  a  high  reputation  for  speed  and 
endurance,  and  are  shipped  as  far  east  as  New  York  City. 

Historical. — The  history  of  Montana  has  not  been  des- 
titute of  stirring  incident.  Before  1861  there  were  no  set- 
tlements, and  the  only  whites  who  had  visited  the  region 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  127 

were  trappers,  missionaries  and  the  members  of  various 
military  exploring  parties.  Public  attention  was  first 
directed  to  the  Territory  at  about  the  period  named  by  the 
discovery  of  gold  in  paying  quantities  in  Deer  Lodge 
county.  The  report  brought  an  irruption  of  miners  from 
all  the  Western  States,  among  whom  were  some  of  the 
wildest  and  most  reckless  characters,  whose  names  and 
misdeeds  figure  in  the  early  annals  of  the  Territory.  In 
1862  the  rich  placers  at  Bannack  were  discovered.  In  the 
following  year  a  party,  returning' from  an  unsuccessful 
attempt  to  reach  the  Big  Horn  Mountains  by  way  of  the 
Gallatin  river,  whence  they  were  driven  back  by  the  Crow 
Indians,  camped  for  dinner  on  Alder  creek,  near  the  site  of 
Virginia  City.  Here  one  of  the  number,  William  Fair- 
weather  by  name,  washed  a  few  pans  of  gravel,  and  was 
surprised  to  obtain  about  $2  worth  of  gold  to  the  pan. 
The  news  soon  spread,  and  numbers  flocked  to  the  place, 
which  has  since  yielded  $60,000,000  of  gold,  half  of  which 
was  taken  out  during  the  first  three  years  after  the  dis- 
covery. The  next  important  placer  diggings  were  found 
in  1864,  at  Last  Chance  gulch,  where  Helena  now  stands, 
and  at  Silver  Bow  and  German  gulches,  at  the  head  of  the 
Deer  Lodge  valley.  Subsequently  mines  of  great  richness 
were  found  at  various  other  points,  and  the  excitement 
upon  the  subject  ran  high. 

The  fame  of  the  diggings  caused  a  large  immigration, 
and,  with  the  honest  and  deserving  gold  hunters,  there  was 
also  a  rush  of  the  vilest  desperadoes  from  the  min  ng 
ips  of  the  Western  States  and  Territories.  This  ruf- 
fianly clement  served  as  a  nucleus  around  which  the  evil- 
osed  gathered,  and  soon  was  organized  a  band  of  out- 
laws which  became  the  terror  of  the  country.  These  ban- 
ditti included   hotel   keepers,    express    agents,    and    other 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana,  129 

seemingly  respectable  people,  Henry  Plnmmer,  the  sheriff 
of  the  principal  county,  being  their  leader.  The  roads  of 
the  Territory  were  infested  by  the  ruffians,  and  it  was  not 
only  unsafe,  but  almost  certain  death,  to  travel  with  money 
in  one's  possession.  One  writer  affirms  that  ''the.  com^ 
munity  was  in  a  state  of  blockade.  No  one  supposed  to 
have  money  could  get  out  of  the  Territory  alive.  It  was 
dangerous  to  cope  with  the  gang;  for  it  was  very  large  and 
well  organized,  and  so  ramified  throughout  society  that  no 
one  knew  whether  his  neighbor  was  or  was  not  a  member.'' 
The  usual  arms  of  a  "road  agent, "  writes  Prof.  Dimsdale, 
in  his  history,  of  ''The  Vigilantes  of  Montana,"  "were  a  pair 
of  revolvers,  a  double-barreled  shot-gun  of  large  bore,  with 
the  barrels  cut  down  short,  and  to  this  was  invariably 
added  a  knife  or  dagger.  Thus  armed,  mounted  on  fleet, 
well-trained  horses,  and  disguised  with  blankets  and  masks, 
the  robbers  awaited  their  prey  in  ambush.  When  near 
enough,  they  sprang  out  on  a  keen  run,  with  leveled  shot- 
ad  usually  gave  the    word    TIalt  !    throw   up    your 

hands,  you !/      If  this    latter    command    were 

not  instantly  obeyed,  that  was  the  last  of  the  offender;  but 
in  case  he  complied,  .as  was  usual,  one  or  two  of  the  ruffians 
sat  on  their  horses,  covered  the  party  with  their  guns, 
which  were  loaded  with  buckshot,  and  one  'dismounting, 
disarmed  the  victims,  and  made  them  throw  their  purses 
ont;  This   being  done,    a    search    for    concealed 

property  followed,  after  which  the  robbers   rode  away,   re- 
►1  ure.  and  divided  the  spoils." 
At  last  the  decent   citizens  organized  a  vigilance  com- 
mittee in  .     The  confession  of  two  of  the  gang 
put  the  l<.vcrs  of  law  and  order  in  possession  of  the  names 
of   the   prominent   ruffians,   who  were   promptly  arrested. 
of    the    miscreants    were    hanged   at  various 


130  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

places,  after  the  form  of  a  trial,  between  December  21, 
1863,  and  January  25,  1864,  five  having  been  executed 
together  in  Virginia  City.  This  summary  justice  so 
stunned  the  remainder  of  the  band  that  they  decamped. 
From  the  discovery  of  the  bodies  of  the  victims,  the 
confessions  of  the  murderers  before  execution,  and  from 
information  sent  to  the  vigilance  committee,  it  was  found 
that  certainly  102  people  had  been  killed  by  the  bandits  in 
various  places,  and  it  was  believed  that  scores  of  unfor- 
tunates had  been  murdered  and  buried,  whose  remains 
were  never  discovered.  It  was  known  that  the  missing 
persons  had  set  out  for  various  places  with  greater  or  less 
sums  of  money,  and  were  never  heard  of  again.  After 
this  wholesome  justice  had  been  meted  to  the  murderers, 
law  and  order  prevailed,  the  lawless  element  leaving  the 
Territory,  and  the  honest  and  enterprising  remained  to 
develop  the  mining  and  other  natural  resources.  Con- 
gress provided  for  the  admission  of  Montana  as  a  State  in 
the  act  passed  at  the  session  in  1889,  which  also  provided 
for  the  admission  of  North  Dakota,  South  Dakota  and 
Washington. 

Beaver  Creek  Valley. — Just  west  of  the  Bad  Lands 
the  Northern  Pacific  enters  Montana  and  soon  reaches  the 
pretty  valley  of  Beaver  Creek,  from  which  more  cattle  are 
shipped  to  Eastern  markets  than  from  any  other  district  in 
the  State.  Mingusville,  635  miles  from  St.  Paul,  is  the 
shipping  station  for  the  valley,  and  is  a  typical  cow-boy 
town.  Most  of  the  buildings  are  drinking  saloons  and 
small  taverns. 

Glendive  Creek.— .After  leaving  Beaver  Creek  valley 
the  road  crosses  a  low  divide  and  strikes  Glendive  creek, 
which  it  follows  twenty  miles,  to  the  Yellowstone  river. 
On  either  side  of  a  narrow  valley  are  curious  bluffs,  with 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana,  131 

seamed  sides  of  dark  and  light  brown  earthy  strata,  and  an 
occasional  vein  of  lignite,  and  grotesque,  jagged  summits. 
Glendive  (666  miles  from  St.  Paul:  population  1,500). 
— Glendive  is  the  first  place  of  any  prominence  in  Montana 
that  is  reached  by  the  railroad.  It  is  the  county  seat  of 
Dawson  county,  the  largest  county  in  Montana,  and  is  the 
terminus  of  the  Missouri  division  and  the  beginning  of 
the  Yellowstone  division  of  the  railroad.  The  town  is  in 
latitude  470  3'  N.,  and  longitude  104°  45'  W.,  and  lies  2,070 
feet  above  the  ocean  level.  Situated  on  the  south  bank  of 
the  Yellowstone,  ninety  miles  from  the  junction  of  that 
stream  with  the  Missouri  at  Fort  Buford,  N.  D.,  Glendive 
occupies  a  broad  plain,  which  slopes  gently  toward  the 
river,  and  is  sheltered  by  a  ra*nge  of  curiously  shaped  clay 
buttes,  distant  about  half  a  mile  from  the  stream,  and 
rising  abruptly  to  a  height  of  nearly  300  feet  above  its 
level.  These  buttes  are  not  unlike  those  seen  at  the  Bad 
Lands  of  the  Little  Missouri,  only  here  the  subterranean 
fires  have  not  burned  so  fiercely  as  further  east,  and  the 
river  seems  to  have  stopped  the  combustion,  for  across  the 
water  there  is  a  large  expanse  of  excellent  soil.  The  site 
of  the  town  was  selected  and  laid  out  under  the  supervision 
of  Gen.  Lewis  Merrill,  U.  S.  A.,  who  adopted  the  name  of 
Glendive  for  his  projected  city,  in  remembrance  of  Sir 
George  Gore,  an  eccentric  Irish  nobleman,  who  spent  the 
winter  of  1856  in  hunting  buffalo  in  this  vicinity,  and  who 
originally  applied  the  designation  to  the  creek.  Glendive 
was  founded  in  1881.  A  little  irrigated  farming  is  done  in 
the  valley,  but  the  place  is  almost  wholly  a  cattle  town,  being 
supported  mainly  by  the  trade  of  the  stock  ranchers.  It  is 
a  good  point  to  stop  and  study  the  range  cattle  business. 
The  scenery  just  beyond  Glendive  is  imposing.  The 
railroad  skirts  the  river,  and  bluffs  tower  several  hundred 


132/  The  Norther: n  Pacific  Railroad. 

feet  above  the  track.  Eagle  Cliff  is  especially  noticeable, 
for  its  height,  and  the  heavy  engineering  work  which  was 
necessary  in  constructing  the  railroad  at  this  point. 

The  Yellowstone  Valley. — The  railroad  follows  up  the 
Yellowstone  valley  from  Glendive  to  Livingston,  a  distance 
of  340  miles.  In  its  characteristics  the  Yellowstone  river 
more  closely  resembles  the  Ohio  than- any  other  American 
stream.  Its  waters,  unlike  those  of  the  Missouri,  are  bright 
and  clear,  except  when  discolored  by  the  freshets  of  its 
lower  tributaries.  The  stream  runs  over  a  bed  of  gravel 
through  permanent  Channels,  and  among  thousands  of 
beautiful  islands,  covered  with  heavy  timber.  It  is  navi- 
gable during  a  good  stage  of  water  for  more  than  250  miles, 
from  its  confluence  with  the  Missouri  at  Ft.  Buford  to  a 
point  above  the  mouth  of -the  Big  Horn  river,  by  steam- 
boats of  two  or  three  hundred  tons. 

The  Yellowstone  has  many  tributaries  along  that  part  of- 
its  course  which  is  traversed  by  the  railroad,  especially  on 
its  south  bank.  After  leaving  Glendive,  the  first  impor- 
tant stream  coming  in  from,  the  south  is  the.  Powder  river, 
so  called  by  the  Indians  from  its  inky-black  water,  stained 
by  the  long  course  it  runs  through  the  alluvial  soil  flanking 
the  Black  Hills  and  Big  Horn  mountains.  Here  the  valley 
of  the  Yellowstone  broadens,  and  the  country  behind  the 
bluffs  is  better  and  richer  than  before.  On  the  north  side 
of  the  Yellowstone,  between  Powder  and  Tongue  rivers, 
several  small  streams  come  in  which  drain  the  divide  be- 
tween the  Yellowstone  and  the  Missouri.  The  next  river 
of  consequence  on  the  south  side  is  the  Tongue,  with  a 
good  but  narrow  valley,  already  well  settled  by  farmers 
and  herders.  About  thirty  miles  westward  of  the  Tongue 
another  affluent  of  considerable  volume  is  the  Rosebud, 
flowing  from  the  south.     Fifty-six  miles  beyond  is  the   Big 


n  Hundred  Mites  in  Montana.  133 

Horn  river,  the  largest  tributary  of  the  Yellowstone,  drain- 
ing the  whole  eastern  slope  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  from 
the  Yellowstone  southward  to  the  Platte.  The  next  im- 
portant stream  is  the  Clark's  Fork  of  the  Yellowstone, 
which  must  not  be  confused  with  the  other  and  more 
important  Clark's  Fork  of  the  Columbia. 

The  Yellowstone  winds  from  side  to  side    of    the  valley, 
and  along  most  of    its  course    westward   presents    a   very 
picturesque  appearance.     Bluffs  of  what  are  called    "Bad 
Lands"  inclose  it,  showing  their  precipitous  faces    against 
the  stream,  first  on  one  side  then  on  the  other,  as  the  river 
winds  from  bluff  to  bluff,  leaving  always  opposite  the  bluffs 
a  considerable  valley  on  either  side  of  the  stream.       The 
width     of  the    Yellowstone    valley    throughout   its    entire 
length  scarcely  exceeds  three  miles;  sometimes  it    narrows 
to  not  more  than  two  miles,  and  again  it  widens  to  seven. 
At  the  heads  of  the  lateral  valleys  are    fine  sites  for    stock 
ranches  or  grazing  farms, the  same  luxuriant  grass  covering 
the  whole  country.     Clear,  pure  water  is  to  be  found  every 
miles  in  running  streams  and  springs,  along  which  are 
fringes  of  oak,  ash,  elm,  box  elder    and    cottonwood,    with 
occasional  pines  and  cedars  in  the  ravines.     Before    reach- 
ing the  Big  Horn  the  valley    becomes   somewhat    broader, 
and  for  many  miles  *u>  the  north  side  of   the    river,    begin- 
ning at  a  point  opposite  Fort  Keogh,   are   ranges  of  bluffs 
which  finally  recede   in    height  and  gradually  dissappear. 
f  the  river  the  rough,   broken  water-shed 
of    the  Musselshell,   the    Missouri     and     the     Yellowstone, 
called    the    Bull    Mountains,     is     drained     by     three    small 
mis,   which   have    considerable  valleys  of    fertile    soil, 
/en  Creek  and  the  Big  and  Little   Por- 
cupine.      The    Yellowstone    above    the    Big    Horn    runs 
through  a  comparatively  narrow    valley,    which   broadens 


134  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

only  at  a  single  point.  The  Clark's  Fork  bottom  lies  in 
this  part  of  the  valley,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Yellowstone, 
extending  from  the  rocky  bluffs  east  of  the  old  settlement 
at  Coulson,  near  the  site  of  Billings,  to  the  hills  which  put 
into  the  river  from  outlying  spurs  of  the  Rocky  mountains, 
some  thirty-five  miles  westward. 

The  traveler,  passing  through  the  Yellowstone  valley, 
except  during  the  months  of  May  and  June,  when  vegeta- 
tion is  vividly  green,  is  apt  to  rebel  against  the  withered 
look  of  the  grass.  Lowland  and  highland  alike  are  clothed 
with  a  russet  garment,  which  the  heat  of  summer  has 
spread  over  them.  The  mountains  appear  like  colossal 
hay-mows  with  the  lush  growth  of  bunch  grass  surging  up 
their  slopes,  cured  as  it  stands  by  the  sun  into  the  best  of 
hay,  upon  which  herds  fatten  all  the  year  round.  The 
valley  has  the  same  sere  tone,  and  the  fringe  of  dark  pines 
on  the  brow  of  the  hills  does  not  relieve,  but  only  serves  to 
emphasize,  the  prevailing  tone  of  the  landscape.  To  an 
artist  eye,  however,  the  many  shades  of  grey  make  the 
landscape  peculiarly  attractive.  A  prominent  Eastern 
artist  visiting  the  Yellowstone  valley  a  few  years  ago, 
explained  his  delight  at  the  scenery  by  saying,  "  Greens 
are  common  everywhere,  but  where  else  can  you  find  such 
lovely  greys!" 

Iron  Bluff  (676  miles  from  St.  Paul). — Large  quantities 
of  shell  boulders  are  found  in  the  vicinity.  These  consist 
chiefly  of  shells,  which  are  mixed  with  small  quantities  of 
silica  and  alumina.  The  sides  of  the  bluffs  and  the 
ravines  running  back  into  them  from  the  river  are 
remarkably  rich  in  marine  fossils.  Entire  fossilized  fishes 
have  been  found  with  the  iridescence  of  the  scales  still 
perfect,  and  every  little  hillock  yields  a  quantity  of  per- 
fect shells. 


en  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  135 

Fallon  (695  miles  from  St  Paul)  is  at  the  mouth  of 
O'Fallon  creek.  It  is  the  depot  for  the  beautiful  and 
fertile  valley  running  100  miles  south,  which  has  attracted 
many  ranchmen  and  stock-raisers. 

Batchford  (715  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  100) 
is  the  depot  for  the  Powde-  River  valley  region.  Ten 
miles  east  of  Ainslie,  at  the  Powder  river  crossing,  was 
fought  a  battle  between  the  Indians  and  United  States 
troops;  and  for  several  miles  along  the  banks  of  the  Yel- 
lowstone, the  graves  of  the  soldiers  who  died  of  their 
wounds  on  their  march  up  the  river,  can  be  seen. 

Miles  City  (745  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  2,000) 
is  the  only  town  on  the  Northern  Pacific  line  between 
Superior  and  the  Rocky  mountains  which  did  not  owe  its 
origin  to  the  building  of  the  road.  It  was  a  flourishing 
frontier  trading  post  three  years  before  the  Northern 
Pacific  reached  the  Yellowstone  valley.  Its  business  was 
originally,  to  a  large  extent,  with  buffalo  hunters;-  but, 
after  the  extermination  of  the  buffalo,  the  immense  graz- 
ing country  surrounding  it  was  rapidly  occupied  by  stock- 
men. There  are  over  700,000  cattle  on  the  ranges  tributary 
to  the  town.  Miles  City  is  the  county  seat  of  Custer 
county,  and  is  a  compact,  well-built  town.  Nearly  all  the 
business  houses  are  constructed  of  brick.  Groves  of  Cot- 
tonwood trees  and  thickets  of  wild  rose  bushes  add  much 
to  the  attractiveness  of  the  place.  The  town  enjoys  a 
large  trade  from  the  surrounding  cattle  and  sheep  ranges 
and  has,  besides,  a  rich  irrigated  valley  right  at  its 
doors,  that  of  the  Tongue  river.  Fort  Keogh,  an  impor- 
tant military  post  two  miles  west,  furnishes  a  good  deal  of 
business  to  its   merchants. 

Explorations  of  the  Yellowstone. — The  first  recorded 
exploration   of  the  Yellowstone  valley  was  that  made  by 


136  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

Captain  William  Clark,  U.  S.  A.,  who  was  associated  with 
Captain  Meriwether  Lewis,  U.  S.  A.,  in  the  command  of 
the  famous  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition,  fitted  out  in  1804, 
under  authority  of  President  Jefferson,  to  explore  the 
region  west  of  the  Mississippi  river,  and  extending  to  the 
Pacific  coast.  This  vast  territory  known  as  ' '  the  Louisiana 
purchase/'  and  subsequently  as  the  Province  of  Louisiana, 
was  ceded  to  the  United  States  by  Napoleon  Bonaparte  in 
1803,  for  the  nominal  sum  of  $15,000,000.  The  heroic  band 
of  explorers  numbering  only  thirty-two  men  set  out  from 
St.  Louis  on  the  14th  of  May,  1804,  ascended  the  Missouri 
river  a  distance  of  2,858  miles  from  its  mouth,  and  striking 
across  the  Rocky  mountains  and  other  ranges  westward, 
reached  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  river  on  the  7th  of 
November,  1805.  On  the  23d  of  March  in  the  following 
year,  the  dauntless  explorers  entered  upon  their  return 
journey,  recrossing  the  Rocky  Mountains  on  the  3d  of 
July.  The  expedition  now  resolved  itself  into  three  parties, 
one  of  which  followed  the  eastern  base  of  the  mountains 
northward  to  the  mouth  of  the  Marias  river,  where  it 
united  with  the  second  party,  commanded  by  Captain 
Lewis,  that  had  gone  directly  down  the  Missouri.  The 
third  detachment  under  Captain  Clark  pushed  eastward 
until  it  struck  the  Yellowstone  river,  and  then  followed 
this  stream  400  miles  to  its  confluence  with  the  Missouri, 
near  which  point  the  three  parties  again  united.  After  an 
absence  of  nearly  two  years  and  a  half,  the  expedition 
arrived  at  St.  Louis  on  the  23d  of  September,  1806,  having 
lost  only  a  single  man  by  death.  This  was  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  and  successful  explorations  ever  made.  By  its 
means  a  mass  of  accurate  information  respecting  the 
country  was  gathered,  the  practical  value  of  which  has 
continued  to  the  present  day.    The  result  of  the  expedition 


h   Hundred  Miles  in  Montana*  137 

was  at  once  to  open  up  the  newly  acquired  territory  to  the 
enterprise  of  the  great  fur  companies,  who  escablished 
trading  posts  with  the  Indians  at  many  points.  Aside 
from  the  trappers,  however,  no  whites  settled  in  Montana 
until  the  breaking  out  of  the  gold  excitement  in  1862. 
Then,  and  even  for  many  years  afterward,  the  settlements 
were  confined  to  the  extreme  western  portions  of  the  Terri- 
tory, which  were  the  most  accessible,  the  eastern  half  long 
remaining  a  wilderness,  in  absolute  possession  of  the 
Indians.  Only  since  the  year  1853,  at  which  time  the  Govern- 
ment sent  out  an  expedition  under  command  of  the  late  Gen- 
eral I.  I.  Stevens,  to  explore  the  region  lying  between  the 
forty-seventh  and  forty-ninth  parallels,  with  a  view  of 
reporting  upon  the  feasibility  of  the  northern  route  for  a 
railroad  from  Lake  Superior  to  Puget  Sound,  has  the  Yel- 
lowstone valley  been  brought  to  public  attention.  Since 
the  date  named  a  number  of  expeditions,  both  Government 
and  private,  have  passed  through  the  valley  from  time  to 
time,  and  their  records  of  experience  and  adventure  are  of 
the  highest  interest.  But  it  is  not  within  the  plan  of  this 
book  even  to  outline  the  more  important  features  of  any  of 
these  exploring  expeditions.  The  space  at  command  will 
only  admit  of  the  narration  of  a  few  of  the  more  important 
facts  connected  with  the  various  conflicts  between  the  In- 
dians and  the  United  States  troops,  of  which  this  valley 
cene  between  the  years  1873  and  1  <S 7 7 . 
During  tin-  period  in  question  the  aborigines  strove  hard 
to  keep  possession  of  their  favorite  country.  But  civiliza- 
tion ng  tin-  history  which  has  marked  its  progress 
in  every  land,  was  not  to  be  kept  back,  and  the  fierce 
supremacy  between  the  white  race  and  the  red 
man,  resulted  in  the  final  disappearance  <>f  the  latter   from 

the  Yellowstone  valley. 


138  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad* 

The  railroad  was  finished  to  the  Missouri  river  toward 
the  close  of  1872;  but  the  actual  surveys  and  locations  for 
the  roadway  had  been  made  as  far  west  as  the  Powder 
river,  250  miles  beyond.  An  escort  of  troops  always 
accompanied  the  surveying  parties,  and  minor  engagements 
between  these  small  detachments  and  the  Indians  were  of 
common  occurrence.  During  1873  these  attacks  became 
so  bold  and  frequent  that  it  was  necessary  to  transfer  an 
additional  regiment  of  cavalry  from  the  Military  Depart- 
ment of  the  South  for  the  purpose  of  holding  the  hostile 
red  men  in  check,  and  a  supply  depot  was  established  on 
Glendive  creek,  where  that  stream  empties  into  the  Yellow- 
stone. 

A  Fight  with  Indians  at  Tongue  River. — In  the 
summer  of  1873  an  army  expedition,  consisting  of  about 
1,700  men,  under  the  command  of  Major  General  D.  S. 
Stanley,  was  sent  out  from  Fort  Rice,  on  the  Missouri 
river,  to  explore  the  Yellowstone  valley  in  the  interest  of 
the  railroad.  In  due  time  the  expedition  reached  the 
Yellowstone  river,  and  marched  for  several  days  up  that 
stream.  The  country  eventually  proved  so  rough  and 
broken  that  in  many  places  serious  delays  were  encoun- 
tered in  finding  a  practicable  route  for  the  long  and  heavily 
laden  wagon  trains.  These  serious  embarrassments  were 
only  overcome  by  sending  out  each  morning,  some  dis- 
tance in  advance  of  the  main  column,  two  companies  of 
the  Seventh  cavalry,  under  command  of  the  late  General 
Custer,  whose  duty  it  was  to  seek  and  prepare  a  practicable 
road.  In  carrying  out  the  plan  which  already  had  been  for 
some  days  followed  successfully,  Gen.  Custer  left  camp  on 
the  4th  of  August,  with  a  force  of  ninety-one  men,  guided 
by  Bloody  Knife,  a  young  Arickaree  warrior.  At  a 
point  nearly  opposite  the  mouth  of  Tongue  river,  plainly  in 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  139 

sight  of  the  railroad.  Gen.  Custer  encountered  a  force  of 
Sioux  outnumbering  his  own  command  over  five  to  one. 
After  a  hard  fight  the  Indians  were  driven  off  the  field.  For 
a  week  afterward,  as  the  exploring  party  pursued  its  march, 
it  entered  upon  a  series  of  sharp  skirmishes  with  the  large 
force  of  Indians,  who,  however,  were  invariably  repulsed, 
although  the  troops  did  not  escape  many  severe  casu- 
ualties. 

In  1874  and  1875  the  Yellowstone  valley  enjoyed  com- 
parative quiet,  although  there  were  hostile  bands  of  Sioux 
roaming  over  the  valleys  of  the  Big  Horn  and  Powder 
rivers,  and  the  entire  Western  frontier  was  ravaged  by 
them.  In  June,  1875,  a  steamboat  expedition,  consisting 
of  seven  officers  and  100  men,  commanded  by  Col.  Forsyth, 
of  Lieut-Gen.  Sheridan's  staff,  ascended  the  Yellowstone  a 
distance  of  430  miles,  selecting  sites  for  military  posts  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Tongue  and  Big  Horn  rivers,  in  order  to 
better  deal  with  the  Indians.  This  expedition  returned 
without  encountering  any  hostile  red  men. 

On  February  21,  1876,  an  expedition  left  Fort  Ellis, 
near  Bozeman,  under  command  of  Major  Brisbin,  num- 
bering 221  officers  and  men  for  the  succor  of  a  party  of 
citizens,  who  were  besieged  by  Indians  at  Fort  Pease,  near 
the  confluence  of  the  Big  Horn  with  the  Yellowstone. 
The  original  party  consisted  of  forty-six  men,  who  de- 
fended themselves  desperately  in  a  stockade  until  the 
relief  column  of  troops  arrived.  Six  persons  were  killed, 
eight  wounded,  and  thirteen  escaped  during  the  night, 
leaving  only  nineteen  in  the  stockade,  who  were  rescued 
by  the  troop 

r,  1876,  the  Government  was  compelled  to  send  out 
a  force  against  certain  wild  and  hostile  bands  of  Indians 
who  were  roaming  about  Dakota  and  Montana,  not  only 


140  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

attacking  settlers  and  immigrants,  but  also  making  war 
upon  the  Mandans  and  Arickarees,  who  were  friendly  to 
the  whites.  To  this. class  belonged  the  notorious  Sitting 
Bull,  who  was  not  a  chief,  but  only  a  ■'  head  man,"  and 
whose  immediate  followers  did  not  exceed  thirty  or  forty 
lodges.  Another  disaffected  chief  was  Crazy  Horse,  an 
Ogallala  Sioux,  who  properly  belonged  to  the  Red  Cloud 
agency,  and  whose  band  comprised,  perhaps,  120  lodges, 
numbering  about  200  warriors.  These  bands  had  never 
accepted  the  agency  system,  and  would  not  recognize  the 
authority  of  the  Government.  They  had  been  notified, 
however,  by.  the  Department  of  the  Interior,  that  they1 
must,  before  the  31st  of  January,  1876,  retire  to  the  reser- 
vations to  which  they  were  assigned,  or  take  the  alterna- 
tive of  being  brought  to  subjection  by  the  military  power. 
Every  effort,  meanwhile,  to  pacify  these  bands,  proved 
unsuccessful.  They  refused  to  come  into  the  agencies, 
settle  down  and  be  peaceable.  A  strong  force  of  Jroops 
was,  therefore,  set  in  motion  to  subdue  them.  On  the  1st 
of  March,  Col.  J.  J.  Reynolds,  with  a  force  of  883  men, 
moved  out  from  Fort  Fetterman,  on  the  North  Platte 
river,  in  search  of  the  hostiles,  and,  after  marching  through 
deep  snow  and  suffering  great  hardship,  reached  the  mouth 
of*  the  Little  Powder  river  on  March  16th,  at  which  point 
he  attacked  and  defeated  a  large  village  of  Sioux  and 
Northern  Cheyennes,  under  Crazy  Horse,  destroying  105 
lodges  and  a  great  amount  of  ammunition  and  supplies, 
and  capturing  a  large  herd  of  animals.  The  troops,  how- 
ever, had  suffered  so  much  from  the  severity  of  the  weather 
that  they  were  compelled  to  return  to  Fort  Fetterman  to 
recuperate. 

Operations  were  resumed  by  this  force  toward  the  end 
of  the  following  May.     On  the  29th  of  that   month,  a  col- 


Seven  1  fund  red  Miles  in'  Montana.  141 

umn  of  1,000  men,  under  the  command  of  Gen.  Crook, 
again  left  Fort  Fetterman,  and  on  the  13th  and  17th  of 
June,  the  Indians  were  discovered  in  large  numbers  on  the 
Rosebud.  Here  a  desperate  fight  took  place,  lasting  sev- 
eral hours,  resulting  in  the  flight  of  the  Indians,  after 
heavy  losses.  The  casualties  to  the  troops  in  this  engage- 
ment were  nine  killed  and  twenty-one  wounded.  From  the 
strength  of  the  hostiles  who  attacked  Gen.  Crook's  col- 
umn, it  now  became  apparent  that  not  only  Crazy  Horse 
and  his  small  band  had  to  be  fought,  but  also  a  large  num- 
of  Indians  who  had  re-enforced  them  from  the  agencies 
along  the  Missouri,  and  from  the  Red  Cloud  and 
Spotted  Tail  agencies,  near  the  boundary  line  between 
Dakota  and  Nebraska.  Under  these  circumstances  Gen. 
Crook  deemed  it  best  to  await  re-enforcements  and  sup- 
plies before  proceeding  further. 

The  Massacre  of  Custer's  Command. — Simulta- 
neously with  Gen.  Crook's  operations,  Gen.  Terry  had  con- 
centrated 400  infantry  and  600  of  the  Seventh  Cavalry,  the 
latter  under  Gen.  George  A.  Custer,  at  Fort  Lincoln. 
With  this  force  he  left  the  fort  on  the  17th  of  May,  and 
reached  the  mouth  of  the  Powder  river  on  the  7th  of  June, 
where  a  supply  camp  was  established.  From  this  point 
six  troops   of  cavalry,  under  Major  Reno,  scouted   up   the 

vder   river  to    its    forks,  and    across   the  country  to   the 
hud,  following   down    the    last   named    stream    to  its 
mouth,  definitely  locating  the  Indians  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Lit!  [orn  river.      During  Maj .  Reno's  scout  the  force 

under  Gen.  Terry  'moved  Up  the  south  bank  of  the  Yellow- 
id  formed  a   junction  with  a  column  consisting  of 
six  <  es  of  infantry  and  four  troops  of  cavalry,  under 

Col.  Gibbon,  which  had  marched  from  Fort  Ellis  eastward, 

Qg  the   north   bank  of  the  Yellowstone  to  a  ooint  oppo- 


142  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

site  the  Rosebud.  On  June  21st,  after  a  conference  with 
Cols.  Gibbon  and  Custer,  Gen.  Terry,  who  was  in 
supreme  command,  communicated  the  following  plan 
of  operations:  Gibbon's  column  was  to  cross  the  Yel- 
lowstone near  the  mouth  of  the  Big  Horn,  march  up 
this  stream  to  the  junction  with  the  Little  Big 
Horn,  and  thence  up  the  latter,  with  the  understanding 
that  it  would  arrive  at  the  last-named  point  on  June 
26th.  Custer,  with  the  whole  of  the  Seventh  cavalry, 
should  proceed  up  the  Rosebud  until  the  direction  of  the 
Indian  trail  found  by  Reno  should  be  ascertained.  If  this 
led  to  the  Little  Big  Horn,  it  should  not  be  followed;  but 
Custer  should  keep  still  further  south  before  turning  to- 
ward that  river,  in  order  to  intercept  the  Indians  should 
they  attempt  to  slip  between  him  and  the  mountains,  and 
also  in  order,  by  a  longer  march,  to  give  time  for  Col. 
Gibbon's  column  to  come  up.  On  the  afternoon  of  June 
22d,  Custer's  column  set  out  on  its  fatal  march  up  the 
Rosebud,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  25th  he  and  his  imme- 
diate command  were  overwhelmed  and  pitilessly  slaugh- 
tered by  the  Indians,  who  were  concentrated  in  the  valley 
of  the  Little  Big  Horn,  to  the  number  of  over  2,500  fighting 
men.  The  harrowing  details  of  the  massacre  are  mainly  a 
matter  of  conjecture.  No  officer  or  soldier  who  rode  with 
their  gallant  leader  into  the  valley  of  the  Little  Big  Horn 
was  spared  to  tell  the  tale  of  the  disaster  The  testimony 
of  the  field  where  the  mutilated  remains  were  found 
showed  that  a  stubborn  resistance  had  been  offered  by  the 
troops,  and  that  they  had  been  beset  by  overpowering 
numbers.  The  bodies  of  204  of  the  slain  were  buried  on 
the  battle  ground.  The  battle  ground  has  been  marked  by 
a  monument  by  the  United  States  Government.  It  is  about 
thirty  miles  south  of  the  railway  station  of  Custer,  near  the 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  143 

mouth  of  the  Big  Horn  river.  The  important  military  post 
of  Fort  Custer  was  established  near  the  battle-field  not 
long  after  the  massacre  occurred. 

The  Brilliant  Work  of  Gen.  Miles.— After  this 
calamity  had  befallen  the  expedition,  additional  troops 
were  sent  to  the  scene  of  operations  as  rapidly  as  they 
could  be  gathered  from  distant  posts,  but  too  late  to  be  of 
immediate  use.  The  exultant  Indians  had  already  broken 
up  their  organization,  and  scattered  far  and  wide  as  bands 
of  marauders,  placing  themselves  beyond  the  reach  of 
punishment  in  a  body.  In  the  autumn  most  of  the  troops 
were  withdrawn  from  Montana,  leaving  only  a  strong 
garrison,  under  the  command  of  Gen.  Nelson  A.  Miles, 
who  was  then  colonel  of  the  Fifth  infantry,  to  occupy 
a  cantonment  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tongue  river  (now 
Fort  Keogh).  Through  the  energy  and  bravery  of  this 
command,  the  Yellowstone  valley  was  soon  entirely  rid 
of  the  Indians.  On  October  ioth  a  train  of  ninety-four 
wagons,  with  supplies,  left  Glendive  for  the  cantonment  at 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Tongue  river,  and  was  beset  the  same 
night  by  Indians,  seven  or  eight  hundred  strong,  under 
Sitting  Bull,  who  so  crippled  it  that  it  was  forced  to  turn 
back  to  Glendive  for  re-enforcements.  These  obtained,  it 
resumed  its  journey,  the  escort  numbering  eleven  officers 
and  185  men,  in  the  hope  of  getting  the  much-needed 
supplies  to  the  garrison.     On  the  15th  the  Indians  attacked 

e  more,  but  were  driven  back  at  the  point  of  the 
bayonet,  while  the  wagons  slowly  advanced.  In  this  way 
the  train  proceeded  until  the  point  was  reached  from 
which  the  return  had  been  previously  made.  Here  the 
Indiana  became  more  determined,  firing  the  prairie,  and 
compelling  the  wagons  to  advance  through  the  flames. 
On  the  16th  of  October  an  Indian  runner  brought  in  the 


144  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

following  communication  from   Sitting  Bull  to  Col.  Otis, 
commanding  the  escort: 

"Yellowstone. 
"  I  want  to  know  what  you  are  doing  traveling  on  this 
road.  You  scare  all  the  buffaloes  away.  I  want  to  hunt 
in  this  place.  I  want  you  to  turn  back  from  here.  If  vou 
don't,  I  will  fight  you  again.  I  want  you  to  leave  what 
you  have  got  here,  and  turn  back  from  here.  I  am  your 
friend,  "' Sitting  Bull." 

"I  mean  all  the  rations  you  have  got  and  some  powder. 
Wish  you  would  write  as  soon  as  you  can." 

Col.  Otis  replied  to  this  cool  request  that  he  intended 
to  take  the  train  through,  and  would  accommodate  the 
Indians  with  a  right  at  any  time.  The  train  moved  on, 
the  Indians  surrounding  it,  and  keeping  up  firing  at  long 
range.  Presently  a  flag  of  truce  was  sent  in  by  Sitting 
Bull,  who  said  that  his  men  were  hungry,  tired  of  war, 
anxious  for  peace,  and  wished  Col.  Otis  to  meet  him  in 
council  outside  the  lines  of  the  escort.  This  invitation 
was  declined;  but  the  colonel  said  he  would  be  glad  to 
meet  Sitting  Bull  inside  the  lines.  The  wary  savage  was 
afraid  to  do  this,  but  sent  three  chiefs  to  represent  him. 
Col.  Otis  told  them  he  had  no  authority  to  treat  with  them 
but  that  they  could  go  to  Tongue  river  and  make  their 
wishes  known.  After  giving  them  a  present  of  hard  bread 
and  bacon,  they  were  dismissed,  and  soon  the  entire  body 
disappeared,  leaving  the  train  to  pass  on  unmolested. 

On  the  night  of  the  18th,  Col.  Otis  met  Col.  Miles  with 
his  entire  regiment,  who  had  advanced  to  meet  the  train, 
being  alarmed  for  its  safety.  Learning  that  Sitting  Bull 
was  in  the  vicinity,  Col.  Miles  at  once  pursued  him,  and 
overtook  him  at  Cedar  creek..  Here  an  unsatisfactory 
parley  took  place,  Sitting  Bull  refusing  peace  except  upon 
terms  of  his    own  making.     The    council  broke    up,    the 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  145 

Indians  taking  position  immediately  for  a  fight.  An 
engagement  followed,  the  Indians  being  driven  from  the 
field,  and  pursued  forty-two  miles  to  the  south  side  of  the 
Yellowstone.  In  their  retreat  they  abandoned  tons  of 
dried  meat,  quantities  of  lodge  poles,  camp  equipage  and 
broken-down  cavalry  horses.  Five  dead  warriors  were 
left  on  the  field,  besides  those  they  were  seen  to  carry 
away.  The  force  of  Col.  Miles  numbered  398  rifles,  against 
opponents  estimated  at  over  1,000.  On  October  27th 
over  four  hundred  lodges,  numbering  about  2,000  men, 
women  and  children,  surrendered  to  Col.  Miles,  and  Sit- 
ting Bull,  with  his  own  small  band,  escaped  northward. 
He  was  vigorously  pursued;  but  the  trail  was  obliterated 
by  the  snow,  and  the  troops  returned  to  the  cantonment. 
Again,  in  December,  a  portion  of  the  command,  under 
Lieut.  Baldwin,  left  their  quarters  in  search  of  Sitting 
Bull,  who  was  found  and  driven  south  of  the  Missouri, 
retreating  to  the  Bad  Lands.  Less  than  two  weeks  after- 
ward the  same  command  surprised  Sitting  Bull  on  the 
Redwater,  capturing  the  camp  and  its  contents,  the  Indians 
escaping  with  little  besides  what  they  had  upon  their  per- 
sons, and  scattering  southward  across  the  Yellowstone. 
Meanwhile,  Col.  Miles,  with  his  main  command,  number- 
ing 436  officers  and  men,  had  moved  against  the  Sioux  and 
Cheyennes  under  Crazy  Horse,  in  the  valley  of  the 
Tongue  river;  and,  after  repeated  engagements,  lasting 
from  the  1st  of  January  to  the  8th  of  the  same  month, 
over  fields  covered  with  ice  and  snow  to  the  depth  of 
from  one  to  three  feet,  completely  vanquished  the  hostiles, 
and  required  them  to  surrender  at  the  agencies.  After  the 
surrender  of  Crazy  -Horse,  the  band  of  Sitting  Bull,  in 
order  to  escape  further  pursuit,  retreated  beyond  the 
northern   boundary,   and    took  refuge    upon    British    soil, 


140  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

where  this  troublesome  Indian  remained  until  the  spring 
of  1883,  at  which  time  he  returned  to  the  United  States 
and  was  assigned  to  the  Standing  Rock  Indian  agency 
in  Dakota.  In  May,  1877,  Col.  Miles  led  an  expedition 
against  a  band  of  renegade  Indians,  under  Lame  Deer, 
that  had  broken  away  from  those  who  had  surrendered  at 
Tongue  river.  This  band  was  surprised  near  the  Rose- 
bud; and  while  negotiations  for  a  surrender  were  in  pro- 
gress, the  Indians,  either  meditating  or  fearing  treachery, 
began  firing,  and  ended  the  parley.  The  fight  was 
resumed,  and  the  Indians  were  driven  eight  miles,  four- 
teen having  been  killed,  including  the  chiefs  Lame  Deer 
and  Iron  Star,  and  450  horses  and  mules,  and  the  entire 
camp  equipage  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  troops.  This 
band  was  afterward  pursued  so  hotly  that  it  eventually 
surrendered  at  the  Red  Cloud  and  Spotted  Tail  agencies. 

On  the  18th  of  September,  1877,  Col.  Miles,  having 
learned  that  the  hostile  Nez  Percys,  from  Idaho,  under 
Chief  Joseph,  pursued  by  Gens.  Howard  and  Sturgis,  were 
likely  to  reach  the  frontier  before  they  could  be  overtaken, 
started  out  from  his  cantonment  to  intercept  them.  By  a 
series  of  rapid  marches  on  the  flank  of  the  hostiles,  after 
traversing  a  distance  of  267  miles,  Col.  Miles  came  up  with 
the  Nez'Perctf  camp  on  the  morning  of  September  30th  at 
the  Bear  Paw  mountains,  and  compelled  its  surrender  after 
a  desperate  resistance,  with  severe  losses  on  both  sides. 

The  troops  under  the  command  of  Col.  Miles,  in  their 
operations  during  the  years  1876  and  1877,  marched  no  less 
than  4,000  miles,  captured  i,6oo  horses,  ponies  and 
mules,  destroyed  a  large  amount  of  camp  equipage  belong- 
ing to  the  hostiles,  caused  the  surrender  of  numerous  bands, 
and  cleared  the  country  of  upward  of  seven  thousand 
Indians.     By  this  series  of  brilliant  successes  not  less  than 


148  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

400    miles    of    the    Yellowstone   valley    were    opened    to 
settlement. 

Current  Ferries. — On  the  Yellowstone  river,  as  well  as 
on  many  other  Western  streams,  a  method  of  ferrying  is  in 
vogue  which  presents  some  peculiarities  to  Eastern  eyes. 
The  swift  current  is  used  as  a  motor  for  swinging  a  flat- 
bottomed  ferryboat  over  the  river.  An  elevated  wire 
cable  is  stretched  from  shore  to  shore.  Pulleys,  attached 
by  stout  ropes  to  either  end  of  the  boat,  are  geared  to  the 
cable.  The  craft  is  shoved  off  from  the  brink  at  an  angle 
oblique  to  the  current,  and  starts  languidly,  the  pulleys 
moving  spasmodically  at  first.  Presently  the  full  force  of 
the  tide  is  felt,  and  the  pulleys  spin  along  the  cable,  carry- 
ing the  boat  across  at  fine  speed.  Then  reaching  the 
slacker  water  near  the  opposite  shore,  the  pulleys  resume 
the  jerky  progress  on  their  cable  track,  and  the  boat  grates 
upon  the  beach  or  puts  her  broad  nose  gently  upon  the 
strand  precisely  where  it  is  wanted.  The  steering  is  done 
by  means  of  wheel,  or  rather,  windlass,  used  to  tighten  or 
slacken  the  pulley  ropes,  and  so  get  the  proper  angle  of 
resistance  to  the  current.  These  ferryboats  scorn  any  sug- 
gestion of  an  ordinary  rudder  in  the  water.  They  are 
guided  by  the  guy-ropes  only.  The  ferry-men  usually 
charge  a  dollar  toll  upon  each  horse  and  each  wagon, 
which  seems  good  pay  for  little  labor.  They  lament,  how- 
ever, that  the  good  old  times  are  gone  when  five  dollars 
was  the  ordinary  tax  for  this  service. 

Fort  Keogh  (747  miles  from  St.  Paul)  is  situated  a 
mile  and  a  half  west  of  the  Tongue  river,  and  two  miles 
from  Miles  City,  in  a  beautiful  and  feriile  portion  of  the 
Yellowstone  valley.  The  fort  was  built  in  1877  by  Gen.  N. 
A.  Miles,  and  is  the  most  important  post  in  the  Northwest, 
having  a  large  garrison  of  infantry  and   cavalry,  the  num- 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana,  149 

bers  varying  with  the  demands  of  other  military  stations 
on  the  frontier.  Fort  Keogh  consists  of  a  number  of  com- 
modious barracks,  hospital,  school,  chapels  and  other  build- 
ings, besides  sixteen  attractive  cottage  residences  for  offi- 
cers and  their  families.  The  fort  draws  its  supply  of  water 
from  the  Yellowstone,  and  feeds  a  pretty  fountain  in  the 
square,  about  which  the  residences  are  arranged. 

Rosebud  (777  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  150) 
is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  Rosebud  river.  The  exten- 
sive valley  of  this  stream  is  admirably  adapted  to  cattle- 
raising  and  its  plains  are  dotted  with  settlements. 

Forsythe  (790  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population  500). — 
The  place  is  named  in  honor  of  Gen.  James  W.  Forsythe? 
who  was  the  first  officer  to  land  by  steamer  at  the  present 
site  of  the  town,  and  for  a  long  time  it  was  known  as  For- 
sythe's  landing.  It  is  situated  in  a  delightful  valley  imme- 
diately on  the  banks  of  the  Yellowstone  river,  and  is  sur- 
rounded by  trees  and  immense  bluffs  rising  abruptly  on  the 
south  and  west.  Forsythe  is  the  end  of  a  freight  train  divis- 
ion, and  the  supply  point  for  the  settlers  of  the  Rosebud  bot- 
tom, on  the  south  side,  and  the  Big  and  Little  Porcupine 
rivers  on  the  north  side  of  the  Yellowstone. 

Big  Horn  (832  miles  from  St.  Paul,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Big  Horn  river)  is  the  diverging  point  for  a  country 
well  adapted  to  stock-raising.  The  valley  of  the  Big  Horn 
is  fertile,  and  its  enclosing  hills  are  covered  with  excellent 
grazing.  The  railroad  crosses  the  turbulent  waters  of  the 
Big  Horn  river  about  two  miles  from  the  mouth  of  that 
stream,  by  a  bridge  600  feet  in  length.  Passing  over  the 
narrow  intervening  valley,  it  presently  penetrates  the  bluffs 
which  hem  in  the  Yellowstone  river,  by  means  of  a  tunnel 
1,100  feet  long,  and  emerges  into  the  comparatively  small 
tOn$  valley  beyond. 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana, 


151 


Custer  (838  miles  from  St.  Paul). — The  station  is  on  the 
Crow  Indian  reservation;  the  town  is  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  Yellowstone,  and  is  called  Junction  City.  It  has  a 
population  of  about  200.  Custer  is  the  station  for  Fort 
Custer,  thirty  miles  distant,  one  of  the  largest  military 
posts  in  the  West,  and  situated  near  the  scene  of  the  Custer 
massacre.  The  large  buildings  at  the  station  were  erected 
by  the  Quartermaster's  department  for  storing  army  sup- 
plies.    A  daily  stage  runs  from  the  station  to  the  fort. 

Pompey's  Pillar  (863  miles  from  St.  Paul)  is  a  mass  of 
yellow  sandstone,  rising  abruptly  to  a  height  of  400  feet,  its 
base  covering  nearly  an  acre  of  ground.  About  half  way 
upon  the  north  side  is  an  inscription,  of  which  the  follow- 
ing is  a  miniature  fac-simi/e 


carved  deeply  in  the  rock  by  the  explorer  himself  on  his 
return  journey  across  the  continent.  This  inscription 
covers  a  space  three  feet  long  and  eighteen  inches  high, 
and  is  surrounded  by  a  border.  It  appears  that  Captain 
Clark  and  his  party  were  coming  down  the  Yellowstone 
river  in  a  boat,  when  they  were  overtaken  by  a  storm 
which  suddenly  burst  upon  them.  After  it  had  cleared, 
they  landed  nine  a  very  remarkable  rock,  situated 


152  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

in  an  extensive  bottom  on  the  right,  a  short  distance  from 
the  shore.  "This  rock/'  wrote  the  explorer,  "  is  nearly  200 
paces  in  circumference,  and  about  200  feet  high,  accessible 
from  the  southeast  only,  the  other  sides  consisting  of  per- 
pendicular cliffs  of  a  light-colored,  gritty  stone.  The  soil 
on  the  summit  is  five  or  six  feet  deep,  of  a  good  quality, 
and  covered  wit-h  a  short  grass.  'The  Indians  have  carved 
the  figures  of  animals  and  other  objects  on  the  sides  of 
the  rock.  From  this  height  the  eye  ranges  over  a  wide 
extent  of  variegated  country.  On  the  southwest  are  the 
Rocky  mountains,  covered  with  snow.  There  is  a  low 
mountain  about  fifty  miles  distant,  in  a  northwest  direc- 
tion, and  at  the  distance  of  thirty-five  miles  the  southern 
extremity  of  what  are  called  the  Little  Wolf  mountains. 
The  low  grounds  of.  the  river  extend  nearly  six  miles  to 
the  southward,  when  they  rise  into  plains  reaching  to  the 
mountains,  and  are  watered  by  a  large  creek,  while  at  some 
distance  below,  a  range  of  highlands  covered  with  pine, 
stretches  on  both  sides  of  the  river  in  a  direction  north 
and  south.  The  north  side  of  the  river  for  some  distance 
is  surrounded  by  jutty,  romantic  cliffs,  succeeded  by  rug- 
ged hills,  beyond  which  the  plains  are  again  open  and 
extensive,  and  the  whole  country  is  enlivened  by  herds  of 
buffalo,  elk  and  wolves."  After  enjoying  the  prospect 
from  this  rock,  to  which  Captain  Clark  gave  the  name  of 
Pompey's  Pillar,  and  carving  his  name  and  the  date  of  his 
visit  upon  the  stone,  the  explorer  continued  on  his  route. 
For  the  better  protection  of  Captain  Clark's  name  against 
vandals,  who  have  already  tried  to  cut  their  own  insigni- 
ficant designations  within  the  border  containing  that  of 
the  heroic  explorer,  the  railroad  company  has  caused  a 
screen  to  be  placed  over  the  relic  for  its  protection. 


154  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad.' 

The  Crow  Indian  Reservation. — The  entire  southern 
shore  of  the  Yellowstone  river,  from  a  point  not  far  from 
Forsythe  westward  to  the  Big  Boulder  creek,  and  extend- 
ing south  to  Wyoming,  was  set  apart  by  Congress,  in  1868, 
as  a  reservation  for  the  Crow  Indians.  This  is  one  of  the 
most  fertile  and  best  watered  areas  in  Montana,  including 
the  valleys  of  all  the  large  streams  which  flow  into  the 
Yellowstone  above  the  Rosebud  river.  The  reservation 
originally  stretched  along  the  Yellowstone  for  250  miles, 
and  had  an  average  width  of  about  75  miles,  but  it  has 
twice  been  cut  down  at  its  western  end  by  arrangement 
with  the  Indians  and  is  now  only  about  half  its  original 
size.  Upon  this  territory  live  about  3,000  Indians.  They 
own  40,000  ponies,  and  are  a  very  rich  tribe  from  every 
point  of  view.  The  Crows  have  long  been  friendly  to  the 
whites;  but  they  are  far  inferior  to  their  old  enemies,  the 
Sioux,  in  intelligence,  handicraft  and  bravery.  Of  late 
they  have  made  some  small  beginnings  in  agriculture  upon 
irrigated  lands.  Most  of  Eastern  Montana  was  originally 
claimed  by  the  Crows,  who  at  one  time  were  a  great  and 
powerful  nation.  That  the  country  was  highly  appreciated 
by  these  Indians  is  evidenced  by  the  words  of  Arrapooish, 
a  Crow  chief,  to  the  fur  trader,  Robert  Campbell,  as  told  in 
"Captain  Bonneville^s  Adventures,"  by  Washington  Irving. 

"The  Crow  country  is  a  good  country.  The  Great 
Spirit  has  put  it  exactly  in  the  right  place.  When  you  are 
in  it,  you  fare  well;  whenever  you  go  out  of  it,  whichever 
way  you  travel,  you  fare  worse.  If  you  go  to  the  south, 
you  have  to  wander  over  great  barren  plains;  the  water  is 
warm  and  bad,  and  you  meet  the  fever  and  ague.  To  the 
north  it  is  cold;  winters  are  long  and  bitter,  with  no 
grass;  you  cannot  keep  horses  there,  but  must  travel  with 
dogs.     On   the  Columbia  they  are  poor  and  dirty,  paddle 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  155 

about  in  canoes,  and  eat  fish.  Their  teeth  are  worn  out; 
they  are  always  taking  fish-bones  out  of  their  mouths. 
To  the  east  they  live  well;  but  they  drink  the  muddy 
waters  of  the  Missouri.  A  Crow's  dog  would  not  drink 
such  water.  About  the  forks  of  the  Missouri  is  a  fine 
country — good  water,  good  grass  and  plenty  of  buffalo. 
In  summer  it  is  almost  as  good  as  the  Crow  country;  but 
in  winter  it  is  cold,  the  grass  is  gone,  and  there  is  no  salt 
weed  for  the  horses.  The  Crow  country  is  exactly  in  the 
right  place.  It  has  snowy  mountains  and  sunny  plains,  all 
kinds  of  climate,  and  good  things  for  every  season.  When 
the  summer  heats  scorch  the  prairies,  you  can  draw  up 
under  the  mountains,  where  the  air  is  sweet  and  cool, 
the  grass  fresh,  and  the  bright  streams  come  tumbling  out 
of  the  snowbanks.  There  you  can  hunt  the  elk,  the  deer 
and  the  antelope  when  their  skins  are  fit  for  dressing; 
there  you  will  find  plenty  of  black  bear  and  mountain 
sheep.  In  the  autumn,  when  your  horses  are  fat  and 
strong  from  the  mountain  pastures,  you  can  go  down  into 
the  plains  and  hunt  buffalo  or  trap  beaver  on  the  streams. 
And  when  winter  comes  on,  you  can  take  shelter  in  the 
woody  bottoms  along  the  rivers;  there  you  will  find  buf- 
falo meat  for  yourself,  and  cottonwood  bark  for  your 
Imrses.  Or  you  may  winter  in  the  Wind  River  valley, 
where  there  is  salt  weed  in  abundance.  The  Crow  coun- 
try is  exactly  in  the  right  place.  Everything  good  is  to 
be  found  there." 

The  Legend  of  Skull  Butte. — The  high  and  rugged 
elevation  across  the    river  to  the  left  of  the    railroad,  just 

►re  reaching  Billings,  is  named  Skull  Butte.  Tradition 
that  about  seventy  years  ago  several   hundred  lodges 

Indians,  belonging  to  tin-  powerful  Crow  nation,  were 
encamped  on  the  river  bottom,  when  small-pox  broke  out, 


156-  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

and  the  ravages  of  the  disease  were  so  fearful  that  in  a 
short  time  the  tribe  was  decimated.  To  appease  the  anger 
of  the  Great  Spirit  it  was  determined  by  the  chief  medicine 
man  that  forty  young  warriors  should  offer  themselves  as 
a  sacrifice.  Volunteers  for  this  purpose  were  called  for, 
and  soon  the  allotted  number  of  braves,  who  had  recently 
passed  through  the  ordeal  of  the  "sun  dance, "and  assumed 
the  status  of  warriors,  presented  themselves.  With  much 
ceremony  the  preparation  for  the  sacrifice  was  conducted, 
and,  after  all  the  rites  had  been  performed,  the  heroic 
band  mounted  their  ponies,  forded  the  river,  ascended  the 
steep  heights  opposite,  and  made  themselves  ready  for  their 
fate.  It  was  determined  that  they  and  their  ponies  should 
be  blindfolded,  and,  rushing  at  full  speed  to  the  steep  edge 
of  the  cliff,  should  plunge  to  the  rocky  strand  hundreds  of 
feet  below.  The  word  was  given,  and  the  forty  braves, 
with  tremendous  shouts,  urged  their  steeds  to  the  brink  of 
the  cliff,  and  all  went  down  to  their  destruction.  Foryears 
afterwards,  bleaching  skulls  and  bones  of  men  and  horses 
were  found  around  the  base  of  Skull  Butte. 

The  railroad  crosses  to  the  north  side  of  the  Yellow- 
stone upon  a  substantial  truss  bridge,  near  the  old  settle- 
ment of  Coulson,  at  the  foot  of  Skull  Butte. 

Billings  (892  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,,  2,500)  is 
named  in  honor  of  the  late  Hon.  Frederick  Billings,  once 
president  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  company.  It  is 
situated  at  the  foot  of  Clark's  Fork  bottom,  on  a  beautiful 
plain,  sloping  down  to  the  Yellowstone  river,  in  the  heart 
of  a  fertile  and  picturesque  valley,  and  is  the  county  seat 
of  the  new  county  of  Yellowstone.  The  town  was  founded 
in  the  spring  of  1882.  Among  the  noticeable  buildings  are 
the  handsome  brick  church  edifice,  the  gift  of  Mrs.  Billings; 
a    large  bank  building,  constructed  in  part  of  stone  quar- 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  157 

ried  in  the  neighboring  cliffs,  and  a  number  of  substantial 
brick  business  blocks.  This  is  the  terminus  of  the  Yellow- 
stone division,  and  the  beginning  of  the  Montana  division, 
of  the  railroad.  The  company  has  built  a  substantial 
round-house,  shops,  etc.,  for  the  purpose  of  a  division  ter- 
minus. The  Clark's  Fork  Bottom  ditch,  thirty-nine  miles 
long,  terminates  at  Billings,  and  is  the  longest  of  six  canals 
which  irrigate  in  the  valley  above  the  town,  and  have 
converted  what  was  practically  a  desert  in  1882,  into  a 
beautiful  farming  region.  Billings  is  a  supply  and  trading 
post  for  alargeextentof  farming  and  grazing  country  within 
a  radius  of  over  100  miles.  It  also  receives  the  trade  of 
the  Stinking  Water  district,  Wyoming  Territory,  a  large 
and  prosperous  tract  of  country.  The  town  possesses  exten- 
sive cattle  yards,  and  is  one  of  the  principal  cattle-shipping 
points  in  Montana,  great  numbers  of  cattle  being  driven 
here  for  shipment  from  the  Musselshell  and  Judith  ranges. 
The  Yellowstone  river  affords  a  fine  water  power.  Large 
shipments  of  wool  are  made  from  here,  and  a  good  wool 
market  is  established. 

Montana  Stock  and  Sheep  Raising. — Abundance  of 
nutritious  grasses,  mildness#of  climate  and  markets  easy  of 
access,  are  a  combination  of  advantages  which  render 
Montana  famous  as  a  cattle-raising  region.  Montana  steers 
command  the  highest  prices  in  the  Chicago  cattle  mart, 
and  the  Northern  Pacific  railroad,  with  over  700  miles  of 
track  within  the  Territory,  affords  ready  transportation 
from  the  grazing  fields  to  the  East.  All  the  better  varieties 
of  grass  do  as  well  in  Montana  as  elsewhere  ;  but  the  most 
valuable  of  the  native  grasses  is  the  bunch  grass.  This 
grows  most  luxuriantly  upon  the  high,  rolling  plains,  of 
which  a  large  part  of  the  surface  of  the  Territory  consists. 
It   begins  to   renew  itself  in  the  early  spring,  before  the 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana,  159 

ground  is  yet  free  from  frost,  rapidly  attains  its  growth,  is 
early  cured,  and  stands  as  hay  through  the  remainder  of 
the  year  until  the  succeeding  spring.  Throughout  the 
winter  months  it  perfectly  retains  its  sweet  and  nutritious 
qualities.  The  manner  of  its  growth  is  similar  to  that  of 
the  short,  curly  and  quickly  cured  buffalo  grass  of  the 
plains.  It  stands  in  detached  clusters  or  bunches,  between 
which  are  visible  interstices  of  bare  ground.  Its  clusters, 
however,  are  finer,  denser,  of  much  taller  growth,  and 
cover  the  ground  more  closely  and  compactly  than  the 
tufts  of  buffalo  grass.  A  single  acre  of  bunch  grass  is  fully 
equal  to  three  acres  of  average  buffalo  grass  in  the  quan- 
tity it  furnishes  of  actual  sustenance  for  cattle.  It  is, 
moreover,  a  stronger  nutriment  than  ordinary  plains  vege- 
tation, being  unexcelled  by  the  best  cultivated  grasses, 
timothy  hay  or  clover. 

The  railroad,  except  where  the  main  line  crosses  the 
mountain  ranges,  follows  a  system  of  valleys  unsurpassed 
in  their  broad,  beautiful  and  fertile  surfaces,  and  extending 
across  the  Territory  from  east  to  west.  These  valleys  are 
free  to  all  for  pasturage  purposes.  Over  these  great  natu- 
ral ranges  the  herds  roam  at  will,  being  separated,  or 
" rounded  up  "  by  their  owners  only  twice  a  year — in  the 
spring  to  brand  the  calves,  and  in  the  fall  to  choose  the 
fat  steers  for  market.  The  principal  cattle  ranges  of  the 
Territory,  aside  from  the  great  valley  of  the  Yellowstone, 
are  on  the  headwaters  of  the  Little  Missouri,  in  the  south- 
east; the  valleys  of  the  Powder,  the  Tongue,  the  Rosebud, 
tin*  Big  Horn  (still  in  possession  of  the  Crow  tribe  of  In: 
dians),  and  the  Clark's  Fork,  which  meet  the  Yellowstone 
region  from  the  south;  the  great  valley  of  the  Sun  river, 
the  broad  basin  of  the  Judith,  the  magnificent  valley  of  the 
Musselshell,  all  situated  northward  of  the  Yellowstone  and 


160  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

intermediate  between  the  Bull,  Belt,  Big  Snowy  and  Little 
Rocky  ranges;  the  valleys  of  the  East  and  West  Gallatin, 
Madison  and  Jefferson  rivers,  adjacent  to  the  eastern  bases 
of  the  Rocky  mountains;  and  the  intramontane  country  of 
the  Clark's  Fork  of  the  Columbia,  westward. 

The  customary  way  of  managing  a  band  of  cattle  in 
Montana  is  simply  to  brand  them  and  turn  them  out  upon 
the  prairie.  Under  this  careless  management  some  steers 
are  lost,  which  stray  away  or  are  stolen.  A  more  careful 
system  is  to  employ  herders,  one  man  for  every  1,500  or 
2,000  head  of  cattle,  whose  duty  it  is  to  ride  about  the  out- 
skirts of  the  range,  follow  any  trails  leading  away,  and 
drive  the  cattle  back,  seeking  through  neighboring  herds, 
if  there  are  any,  for  cattle  that  may  have  mistaken  their 
companionship.  At  the  spring  round  up  a  few  extra 
men  have  to  be  employed  for  several  weeks.  No  human 
being  dare  go  among  the  cattle  on  foot.  If  he  did  he 
would  be  gored  or  trampled  to  death  at  once.  The  ani- 
mals are  only  accustomed  to  horsemen,  of  whom  they 
are  in  wholesome  terror;  but  the  sight  of  a  person  on  foot 
instantly  causes  a  rush  toward  the  strange  appearance, 
and  death  is  certain  to  him  who  fails  to  find  a  place  of 
refuge.  In  starting  a  new  herd,  cows,  bulls  and  yearlings 
are  bought;  but  calves  under  one  year  old  running  with 
the  herd  are  not  counted. 

The  average  cost  of  raising  a  steer,  not  counting  inter- 
est or  capital  invested,  is  from  sixty  cents  to  one  dollar  a 
year,  so  that  a  four-year-old  steer  raised  from  a  calf  and 
•  ready  for  market  costs  about  $4.  A  herd  consisting  of 
yearlings,  cows  and  bulls,  will  have  no  steers  ready  for  the 
market  in  less  than  two  or  three  years.  Taking  into  account 
the  loss  of  interest  on  capital  invested  before  returns  are 
received,  besides    all    expenses    and    ordinary    losses,   the 


n  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana,  161 

average  profit  of  stock-raising  in  Montana  during  the  last 
few  years,  has  been  at  least  thirty  per  cent,  per  annum. 
Some  well-informed  cattlemen  estimate  it  at  from  thirty 
to  forty  per  cent.  A  flock  of  sheep  containing  1,000  head  and 
upward,  in  good  condition  and  free  from  disease,  are  procur- 
able in  Western  Montana  for  from  $2  to  $3  per  head.  They 
must  be  herded  summer  and  winter  in  separate  flocks  of  not 
more  than  2,000  or  3,000  each,  must  be  corraled  every  night, 
and  guarded  against  the  depredations  of  dogs  and  wild 
animals.  Hay  must  be  provided  to  feed  them  while 
the  ground  is  covered  with  snow,  and  sheds  must  be 
erected  to  prevent  them  from  severe  storms.  They  must, 
however,  be  raised  by  themselves.  Cattle  and  sheep  do 
not  live  together  on  the  same  range.  The  latter  not  only 
eat  down  the  grass  so  closely  that  nothing  is  left  for  the 
cattle,  but  they  also  leave  an  odor  that  is  very  offensive  to 
the  others  for  at  least  two  seasons  afterward.  But,  not- 
withstanding that  the  cost  of  managing  sheep  is  greater 
than  that  of  handling  cattle,  the  returns  from  sheep-raising 
are  quicker  and  larger.  While  a  herd  of  young  cattle 
begin  to  yield  an  income  only  at  the  expiration  of  three 
years,  sheep  yield  a  crop  of  wool  the  first  summer  after 
they  are  driven  upon  a  range,  and  the  increase  of  the  band 
is  much  greater  than  that  of  cattle,  being  from  seventy- 
five  to  100  per  cent,  each  year.  The  wool  is  of  good  qual- 
ity, free  from  burs,  and  brings  a  good  price  on  the  ranch, 
agents  of  Eastern  houses  being  always  on  hand  eager  to 
buy  it.  The  profits  of  sheep-raising  are  generally  esti- 
mated at  a  higher  figure  than  those  of  cattle-raising.  The 
lowest  calculation  is  based  upon  a  net  profit  of  from 
twenty-five  to  thirty-five  per  cent,  on  the  whole  invest- 
ment, although  occasionally  larger  returns  reward  the  for- 
tunate stockman. 


162  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

There  are  few  large  bands  of  horses  in  Montana  ;  but 
breeding  these  animals  is  beginning  to  receive  attention. 
Breeders  estimate  that  fifty  brood  mares  and  a  draught 
stallion,  costing  in  all  $2,500,  placed  upon  a  stock  ranch 
where  the  proprietor  does  his  own  herding,  will  in  the 
course  of  five  years  be  worth  $10,000.  Horses  are  more 
hardy  than  sheep  or  cattle,  being  better  able  to  endure 
cold  weather,  and  to  "rustle,"  or  paw  through  the  snow 
that  covers  their  pasturage.  But  they  are  so  much  more 
valuable  than  other  species  of  stock  that  most  owners 
prefer  to  have  their  bands  either  fenced  in  or  carefully 
herded.  The  best  horse  farms  are  those  in  small  valleys, 
ten  or  twelve  miles  long,  on  whose  sides  the  foot-hills 
extend  up  to  high  mountains.  By  fencing  across  the  ends 
of  such  a  valley  the  horses  are  prevented  from  straying. 

The  Cow  Boys. — As  the  train  passes  through  the  Yel- 
lowstone valley,  it  is  no  uncommon  sight  to  see  herds  of 
sleek  cattle  contentedly  grazing  on  the  russet  hills.  Some- 
times, also,  droves  of  one  or  two  thousand  are  noticed 
slowly  advancing  in  a  broad  column  from  the  direction  of 
the  distant  mountains  on  their  way  to  the  railroad  ship- 
ping stations.  Such  a  drove  is  kept  well  in  hand  by  a 
number  of  herders,  picturesquely  garbed  in  sombreros, 
gray  shirts  and  leather  breeches  called  "chapps,"  each 
man  being  armed  with  revolver,  bowie  knife  and  a  raw- 
hide whip,  and  well  mounted.  If  the  drove  of  cattle  has 
made  a  march  of  several  hundred  miles  from  the  range,  it 
will  be  pioneered  by  a  large  band  of  ponies,  carrying 
camp  equipage  and  supplies,  and  serving  as  remounts  for 
the  cow  boys.  These  latter  are  usually  brawny,  clear-eyed 
fellows,  civil  enough  to  answer  questions  in  spite  of  the 
fact  that  every  fibre  of  both  man  and  horse  seems  strained 
to  its  utmost  tension  in  keeping  the   wilder  and  straying 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  163 

members  of  the  drove  within  the  bounds  of  the  horned 
column. 

Grand  Mountain  Views. — In  passing  up  the  valley, 
westward  of  Billings,  there  is  a  prospect  from  the  car  win- 
dows which  combines  more  striking  features  of  beauty  and 
grandeur  than  could  hardly  be  found  elsewhere  nearer 
than  Switzerland.  Beyond  the  smiling  valley  and  the 
winding,  glistening  river,  to  the  westward  and  southward, 
rise  white,  gigantic  masses  of  mountains.  These  snowy 
ranges  are  so  lofty,  and,  in  some  conditions  of  the 
atmosphere,  so  ethereal,  that  the  surprise  of  an  Eastern 
tourist,  who  had  never  seen  high  mountains  before,  was 
quite  natural.  Standing  on  the  platform  of  a  Pullman 
car,  his  eye  caught  the  white,  gleaming  bulwark  on  the 
western  horizon.  "Conductor,  those  clouds  look  very 
much  like  mountains,"  he  said.  "  Clouds;  what  clouds  ?" 
replied  the  conductor,  looking  around  the  clear  blue  sky. 
"Out  there;  just  ahead  of  us."  "Those  are  not  clouds; 
they  are  the  mountains  at  the  head  of  the  valley/'  "Good 
gracious!"  exclaimed  the  traveler,  who  had  got  his  con- 
ception of  mountains  from  the  Alleghanies  or  the  Adiron- 
dacks.  "Those  white  things  way  up  in  the  sky  mountains! 
Well,  well,  this  is  worth  coming  all  the  way  from  New 
York  to  see." 

Laurel  (908  miles  from  St.  Paul,  13  miles  west  of  Bill- 
ings) is  the  junction  point  of  the  Rocky  Fork  and  Cooke 
City  railroad,  which  runs  to  the  important  coal  mining 
town  of  Red  Lodge,  44  miles  distant  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountains  seen  on  the  southern  horizon. 

Park   City  (914   miles  west   of    St.    Paul;    population, 

250),  at  the  head  of  the  Clark's  Fork  bottom,  is  the  centre 

large  tract  of  agricultural  land,  the  very  last  worthy 

of  mention    before  the    rough    approaches   to  the    Rocky 


164 


The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 


mountains  are  entered.  Citadel  Butte,  three  miles  north- 
east of  the  town,  commands  from  its  summit,  400  feet 
above  the  plains,  a  fine  view  of  the  snowy  peaks  to  the 
westward. 


Trout  Fishing  on  the  Big  Boulder. 

Piscatorial. — The  Yellowstone  river,  beyond  its  con- 
fluence with  the  Big  Horn,  flows  with  a  strong  current 
through  a  valley  of  varying  breadth,  and  is  fed  by  many 
beautiful  mountain  streams.  Here  trout  are  in  abundance 
and  give  excellent  sport. 


Sere//  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  165 

Stillwater  (932  miles  from  St.  Paul). — This  is 
an  old  trading  post  for  Indians  and  hunters.  The 
old  Crow  Indian  Agency  buildings  are  situated  about 
twelve  miles  south  of  Stillwater.  The  agency  has  recently 
been  removed  to  the  Little  Big  Horn  river,  near  Fort  Cus- 
ter. At  this  point  the  railroad  crosses  to  the  south  side  of 
the  Yellowstone  river,  the  bridge  being  known  as  the 
second  crossing. 

Big  Timber  (973  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  700). 
— This  town  is  located  near  the  mouth  of  Big  Boulder 
creek,  which  flows  into  the  Yellowstone  from  the  .south, 
and  facing  the  mouth  of  Big  Timber  creek,  which  enters 
the  river  from  the  north.  An  extensive  grazing  country 
in  the  valleys  of  the  Big  Boulder,  the  Yellowstone  and  the 
Big  Timber,  is  tributary  to  this  point,  and  the  town  is  one 
of  the  most  important  wool  shipping  stations  in  Montana. 
It  is  also  the  supply  point  for  a  gold  .mining  district  lying 
on  the  flanks  of  the  Snow  mountains  at  the  head  of 
Boulder  creek. 

Springdale  (988  miles  from  St.  Paul)  is  the  station 
for  Hunter's  Hot  Springs,  about  two  miles  distant  across 
the  Yellowstone. 

Hunters'  Springs. — These  celebrated  hot  springs  are 
situated  eighteen  miles  east  of  Livingston,  at  the  foot  of 
the  Crazy  mountains,  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Yellowstone, 
one  mile  and  three-quarters  from  the  stream.  They  were 
noted  for  their  wonderful  healing  virtues  years  before 
they  became  accessible  by  railroad,  and,  in  fact,  if  the  tra- 
ditionary reports  of  the  aborigines  may  be  credited,  have 
been  famous  among  all  the  Northern  tribes  from  time 
immemorial.  All  the  Indians  in  friendly  relations  with 
the  Crows — within  whose  country  the  springs  were  situated 
until  their  reservation  lines  were  fixed  by  the  Government 


2 
u 


HUNTER'S     HOT     SPRINGS, 
MONTANA. 


One  of  the  wonders  of  the  great  "Wonderland'  region  are 
Hunter's  Hot  Springs,  in  the  foothills  of  the  Crazy  Mountains,  two  miles 
from  Springdale  Station  on  the  line  of  the  N.  P.  Railway,  and  about 
twenty  miles  from  Livingston,  the  gateway  of  the  Yellowstone  National 
Park.  These  springs  are  about  equi-distant  between  St.  Paul,  Minn., 
and  Portland,  Ore.,  and,  being  within  easy  access  to  tourists  going  to 
and  returning  from  the  Park,  afford  a  rare  opportunity  for  a  few  days 
rest,  fishing  and  bathing  in  waters  justly  noted  for  their  curative 
effects.  The  waters  of  Hunter's  Hot  Springs  have  become  noted  dur- 
ing the  past  fifteen  years,  and  have  been  proven  to  equal  in  curative 
effects  the  most  noted  springs  of  Europe  and  America  for  the  cure  of 
Rheumatism,  Gout,  Paralysis,  Post-Nasal  Catarrh,  Catarrh  of  the 
Stomach,  Intestinal  Canal,  Bladder  and  Uterus,  Dyspepsia,  and 
many  other  diseases. 

There  are  accommodations  for  seventy-five  guests  in  the  main  and 
cottage  buildings  ;  four  bath  houses  with  plunge,  mud,  vapor,  tub  and 
douche  baths,  and  a  swimming  pool  105  feet  square  and  three  to  five 
feet  deep.  Hotel  rates,  $3  per  day,  $15  per  week,  $50  for  four  weeks  ; 
with  the  gold  treatment  for  drunkenness,  morphine  and  opium  habits — 
board,  medicine  and  baths,  $25  per  week.  Hacks  transfer  all  passen- 
gers from  Springdale  to  the  Springs  at  $1  round  trip  ;  livery  double 
team,  $5  per  day  ;  saddle  horse,  $2  per  day.  Fishing  and  hunting  in 
season.  The  hotel  is  open  the  entire  year.  Round  trip  tickets  from  St. 
Paul,  Minneapolis,  Duluth,  Superior  and  Ashland  $50,  good  for  forty 
days,  thirty  coming  and  ten  returning,  with  stop-overs  at  any  point 
within  limit  of  the  ticket. 

The  management  of  the  Springs  has  engaged  Dr.  W.  T.  Collins, 
late  of  Grand  Forks,  N.  D.,  and  Livingston,  Mont.,  as  resident  physi- 
cian. The  doctor's  five  years  experience  with  these  Springs,  and  a 
practice  of  nearly  thirty  years  in  military,  civil  and  special  hospitals, 
and  in  peneral  and  special  practice,  is  a  guarantee  of  skillful  treatment 
at  his  hands.  All  communications  addressed  to  C.  B.  Mendenhall, 
proprietor  of  Hunter's  Hot  Springs,  Springdale,  Mont.,  will  receive 
prompt  attention. 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana,  167 

— had  for  generations  made  pilgrimages  to  this  natural 
sanitarium  with  their  invalids,  pitching  their  tepees  around 
the  fountains  for  the  relief  of  their  sick,  while  their  sore- 
backed  ponies  were  healed  by  washing  them  in  the  healing 
waters  below.  Of  course,  the  curative  properties  of  the 
springs  were  the  last  hope  for  those  at  a  great  distance, 
whose  afflictions  had  baffled  the  skill  of  their  ablest 
"  medicine  men."  No  better  proof  than  this  of  the  heal- 
ing properties  of  the  water  could  be  afforded,  as  the 
savage  tribes  acquire  all  their  knowledge  of  the  treatment 
of  diseases  from  the  experience  of  ages  handed  down  from 
father  to  son.  But  there  is  abundant  testimony,  also,  on 
the  part  of  numbers  of  white  men  who  have  been  restored 
to  health  by  drinking  and  bathing  in  the  water  of  these 
springs,  that  there  was  no  superstition  in  the  red  man's 
faith  in  their  remarkable  curative  powers.  They  are 
named  Hunter's  Springs  in  recognition  of  the  fact  that  Dr. 
H.  A.  Hunter  was  the  first  white  man  to  visit  them  and 
discover  their  medicinal  qualities.  The  doctor  being  in 
advance  of  the  train  with  which  he  was  traveling,  and  a 
mile  north  of  its  direct  course — his  object  in  making  the 
detour  being  to  capture  an  antelope  or  deer  for  dinner — 
was  attracted  to  the  springs  by  the  cluster  of  Indian 
tepees  which  had  been  pitched  around  them.  Eight  or 
ten  different  tribes  were  represented  in  the  concourse.  He 
boldly  rode  into  the  promiscuous  camp,  and  his  friendly 
salutations  were  responded  to  in  a  spirit  of  equal  friendli- 
ness. Being  a  physician,  he  perceived,  by  the  bright  iron- 
stains  upon  the  rocks,  the  strong  sulphur  fumes  of  the 
ascending  vapors,  and  the  white  soda  and  magnesia  coat- 
ing of  the  vegetation  growing  out  of  the  sedimentary 
tosits,  the  medicinal  value  of  the  waters.  He  reached 
I  in  the  early  part  of  July,  1864,  his  train  being  one 


168  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

of  the  first  that  entered  the  then  newly  discovered  gold 
mines  of  Montana  by  way  of  the  Big  Horn  valley.  Who- 
ever may  visit  the  now  famous  springs,  and  feast  his 
eyes  upon  the  beauties  of  the  surrounding  scenery, 
will  not  wonder  that  Dr.  Hunter  at  once  relinquished 
his  bright  hopes  of  winning  fortune  in  the  gold  mines, 
and  resolved,  that,  if  any  white  man  during  his  lifetime 
should  become  possessed  of  these  healing  fountains,  he 
himself  should  be  that  man.  The  clay  all  around  the 
springs  is  a  blue,  adhesive,  argillaceous  formation,  thickly 
studded  with  pyritic  iron,  some  of  the  cubes  shining  with 
a  gold-like  luster;  and  in  close  proximity  to  the  hot  water 
fountains  there  are  copious  springs,  from  which  flow 
streams  of  pure  water — as  cold  in  the  hottest  weather  as 
ordinary  ice  water. 

Hunter's  Springs  are  from  3,000  to  4,000  feet  above  the 
sea-level,  and  from  50  to  100  above  the  Yellowstone  river. 
Their  temperature  ranges  from  1480  to  1680  Fahrenheit, 
and  they  discharge  at  least  2,000  gallons  a  minute — suffi- 
cient to  accommodate  all  visitors,  without  the  necessity  of 
pumping.  The  water,  hot  or  cold,  is  palatable,'  many  who 
had  used  it  while  under  treatment  being  regularly  supplied 
with  it  by  express,  ordering  it  by  the  cask.  The  surround- 
ing geological  formations  indicate  that  the  springs  have 
been  flowing  for  many  centuries.  A  chemical  analysis 
shows  sulphur  to  be  the  predominating  constituent;  but 
the  water  also  contains  magnesia,  arsenic,  iodine  and  lime. 

The  soil  near  Hunter's  Springs  is  highly  productice, 
under  irrigation,  being  enriched  with  gypsum  and  other 
strong  mineral  fertilizers.  Everything  is  produced  in  the 
gardens  of  this  section  that  is  cultivated  in  the  States  of 
Ohio,  Indiana  and  Illinois.  It  is  one  of  the  best  grazing 
localities  in  the  Yellowstone  valley,  the  whole  face  of  the 
country  being  heavily  grassed. 


H  /fund red  Miles  in  Montana. 


169 


A  Fine  Country  for  Sportsmen.— Back  in  the  bluffs, 
within  easy  walking  distance  of  Hunters  Springs,  there  are 
still  many  antelope;  wild  hares,    ducks,    geese    and    other 


ill  game  abound  in  the  vicinity.  Deer  are  occasionally 
"jumped  up"  in  the  groves  in  the  Yellowstone,  near  the 
springs;  and  it  is  seldom  that  the  sportsman  walks  far  along 
its  hanks  without  having  the  opportunity  to  wing  a  goose 


170  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

or  duck.  Elk  are  numerous  in  the  mountains  a  few  miles 
out.  Few  rivers  are  more  thronged  with  trout  than  the 
Yellowstone.  The  angler  must  be  unskillful  indeed  who 
fails  to  capture  a  handsome  u  string  "  in  a  couple  of  hours' 
fishing.  The  largest  trout  will  weigh  fully  three  pounds. 
Good  coal  has  been  found  within  two  miles  of  Hunter's 
Springs,  but  the  adjacent  country  has  been  only  superfi- 
cially prospected  for  minerals.  Springdale  station  is  about 
three  miles  from  this  place,  and  there  is  telephonic  com- 
munication between  the  two  points.  Mails  arrive  and  de- 
part daily.  Hacks  are  at  the  station  on  the  arrival  of  every 
train  to  take  tourists  and  invalids  to  the  springs.  There 
are  distinct  bath  houses  for  the  well  and  the  sick,  for  male 
and  female,  and  some  of  the  tubs  or  tanks  are  large  and 
deep  enough  for  plunging  and  swimming.  Visitors  who  pre- 
fer vapor  baths  are  also  accommodated;  the  medicated  va- 
pors coming  up  freshly  from  the  steaming  waters,  are  regu- 
lated to  any  degree  of  temperature  by  cold-air  jets. 

Livingston  (1,007  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population, 
2,000). — This  place  is  an  important  passenger  division  and 
branch  railroad  terminus.  It  was  founded  in  1882.  Here 
the  main  line  makes  its  third  and  last  crossing  of  the  Yel- 
lowstone river,  leaving  the  valley,  along  which  it  has  run  a 
distance  of  340  miles  westward  from  Glendive,  and  pass- 
ing through  the  Bozeman  tunnel,  in  the  Belt  range  of 
mountains,  to  the  Gallatin  valley  beyond.  The  river  at 
this  point  makes  an  abrupt  turn,  flowing  from  its  sources 
in  the  mountains  far  to  the  southward,  through  the  world 
renowned  region  of  the  Yellowstone  National  Park.  Three 
miles  from  Livingston  the  high  mountains  of  the  Yellow- 
stone or  Snow  range  open  their  portals  just  wide  enough 
to  allow  the  river  an  outlet,  and  through  the  canon  thus 
cut  by  the  stream  the  branch  railroad  to  the  Yellowstone 


1?2  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

National  Park  is  laid.  Livingston  is  situated  on  a  broad, 
sloping  plateau  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Yellowstone  river, 
directly  at  the  foot  of  the  Belt  range.  Large  engine 
houses,  machine  and  repairing  shops,  and  otherbuildings 
for  the  use  of  the  railroad  are  situated  here,  on  a  scale  only- 
second  in  magnitude  to  those  at  Brainerd.  Veins  of  fine 
bituminous  coal  have  been  opened  eight  miles  distant, 
from  which  coke  is  made  for  the  smelters  at  Helena  and 
Butte,  and  ledges  of  good  limestone  are  in  the  immediate 
neighborhood.  The  Clark's  Fork  silver  mines  lie  directly 
south, "and  the  surrounding  hills  are  occupied  by  cattle 
ranches.  There  is  also  much  valuable  mining  territory  on 
the  Yellowstone  river  between  Livingston  and  the  northern 
boundary  of  the  National  Park.  Travel  to  the  Yellowstone 
National  Park  passes  through  Livingston,  and  a  large 
business  is  done  in  furnishing  supplies  to  tourists,  Liv- 
ingston is  one  of  the  most  convenient  places  from  which  to 
leave  for  the  Crazy  mountains  and  the  country  adjoining 
them,  which  are  the  favorite  breeding  grounds  of  the  elk. 
There  is  fine  trout  fishing  in  the  vicinity  of  the  town.  The 
lofty  mountain  peak  in  prominent  view  south  of  the  town 
is  called  Old  Baldy,  and  is  about  9,000  feet  high. 

Yellowstone  National  Park. — It  does  not  come  within 
the  plan  of  this  volume  to  describe  the  remarkable  fea- 
tures of  the  Yellowstone  National  Park.  It  is  believed 
that  the  convenience  of  the  tourist  has  been  best  regarded 
by  setting  forth  in  detail  the  chief  attractions  of  the  park 
in  a  separate  book. 

Daily  trains  leave  Livingston  for  Cannabar,  on  the 
northern  boundary  of  the  park,  fifty-one  miles  distant. 
From  Cannabar,  tourists  are  taken  in  coaches  to  the  Mam- 
moth Hot  Springs,  which  is  the  distributing  point  for 
travel  through  the  park. 


n  Hundred  A  files  in  Montana.  173 

Useful  Information  for  Park  Tourists. 

$130  Tickets — On  sale  at  St.  Paul,  Minneapolis  and 
Duluth,  Minn.;  Ashland,  Wis.;  Portland,  Ore.,  and 
Tacoma,  Wash.,  May  29th  to  September  28th;  by  Eastern 
lines,  May  28th  to  September  27th,  cover  the  expenses 
of  the  round  trip  from  St.  Paul,  Minneapolis,  Duluth, 
Ashland,  Portland  or  Tacoma,  to  and  through  the  Park, 
including  Yellowstone  lake.  This  includes  railroad  fares, 
one  double  berth  in  Pullman  sleeping  car,  meals  in 
Northern  Pacific  dining  cars,  and  at  Hotel  Albemarle, 
Livingston,  stage  transportation  for  the  round  trip 
through  the  Park  with  stop-over  privileges,  and  accommo- 
dations for  six  and  one-quarter  days  at  the  Park  Associa- 
tion hotels. 

Limit  and  Conditions  of  Tickets. — Limit  of  ticket, 
forty  days;  i.  e.y  good  going  thirty  days,  returning  ten 
days.  All  tickets,  however,  must  be  used  in  the  Park 
before  October  6th. 

Stop-overs  will  be  allowed  within  final  limit  of  ticket  at 
Billings  or  any  point  east  thereof,  when  purchased  at  St. 
Paul,  Minneapolis,  Duluth,  or  east,  or  Helena  and 
points  west,  when  ticket  has  been  purchased  at  Portland 
or  Tacoma.  The  return  portion  of  ticket  must  be  signed 
and  stamped  at  Mammoth  Hot  Springs  hotel,  and  pre- 
sented on  main  line  train  for  return  passage  within  one 
day  from  such  date. 

Twii.Yi  -  \  m>  a  IIai.i     Dollar    and    Sixty      Dollar 
—On  sale  at  Livingston,  Mont.,  May  31st  to  Sep- 
tember 30th,  and  at  eastern  and  western  termini  from  May 
b  to  September  28th.     The  $12.50  ticket   includes  rail- 
road and  stage  fares  Livingston  to  Mammoth  Hot  Springs 
and    return,  and    one   and    one-quarter   days' board.     The 
$60  ticket  includes  railroad  and  stage  fares    Livingston  to 
Cinnabar   and    return,  stage   Cinnabar   to   Mammoth  Hot 
,  Norris,  Lower  and  Upper  Geyser  Basins,  Yellow- 
stone Lake,  Grand   Canon   and    Falls  of  the  Yellowstone 
and    return,  and   six   and   one-quarter  days' board   at  the 
Park    Association    hotels.     Limit,  good    if   used   between 


174  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

June  ist  and  October  6th,  inclusive.  A  $50  round  trip 
ticket,  St.  Paul,  Minneapolis,  Duluth  or  Ashland  to  Liv- 
ingston and  return,  will  be  on  sale  at  points  named,  May 
29th  to  September  28th.  Limit,  forty  days,  good  going 
thirty  days,  returning  ten  days.  The  return  portion  of 
ticket  must  be  signed  and  stamped  at  Livingston  and  pre- 
sented on  train  on  or  within  one  day  of  such  date.  Stop- 
over allowed  within  limit  of  ticket. 

The  Park  is  supplied  with  four  good  hotels,  accom- 
modating from  125  to  250  guests  each,  each  hotel  being 
lighted  by  electricity  and  heated  by  steam.  The  transpor- 
tation is  first-class  in  every  particular.  The  coaches  are 
the  best  obtainable  and  the  horses  are  selected  with  due 
regard  to  their  fitness  for  the  work.  The  season  extends 
from  June  ist  to  October  ist.  In  the  valleys  an  altitude 
of  6,000  feet  is  reached,  while  the  mountains  tower  about 
them  to  a  height  of  from  10,000  to  13,000  feet.  The  mean 
temperature  for  the  months  during  which  the  Park  is  open 
for  business  is  about  6o°  Fahrenheit.  For  this  trip  light 
woolens  and  light  overcoats  should  be  taken.  An  abund- 
ance of  hard,  gamey  trout  can  be  found  in  several  of  the 
streams. 

The  Time  Required  to  make  the  trip,  including  six 
and  three-quarters  days  south  of  Livingston,  the  point  for 
leaving  the  main  line,  is  about  as  follows:  From  St.  Paul, 
Minneapolis,  or  Duluth,  ten  days;  from  Portland,  Ore.,  or 
Tacoma,  Wash.,  ten  days;  from  Chicago  and  St.  Louis, 
twelve  days;  from  New  York  and  Atlantic  coast  cities, 
fifteen  days;  from  San  Francisco,  fifteen  days;  from  Liver- 
pool, England,  twenty-nine  days. 


Over  the  Belt  Range. — The  Belt  range  runs  parallel 
to  the  Main  Divide  of  the  Rocky  mountains  for  about  150 
miles  and  at  an  average  distance  from  that  divide  of  about 
forty  miles.  It  is  a  bold  and  handsome  range,  wooded  on 
its  flanks  with  pine  and  lifting  bare  rocky  ridges  and  peaks 
to  an  altitude  of  about    8,000  feet.      The   road  begins  to 


Seven  Hundred  Allies  in  Montana.  175 

climb  by  a  uniform  grade  of  116  feet  to  the  mile  soon  after 
it  leaves  Livingston,  and  in  an  ascent  of  twelve  miles 
reaches  the  west  portal  of  the  Bozeman  tunnel,  which  is 
the  highest  point  reached  by  the  track  between  the  Missis- 
sippi valley  and  the  Pacific  coast.  The  tunnel  pierces 
the  mountains  a  distance  of  3,500  feet  at  an  elevation 
°f  5,572  feet  above  the  ocean.  The  train  runs 
down  the  western  slope  in  the  wild  defile  of  Rock 
canon,  passing  out  into  the  broad,  fertile  valley  of 
the  West  Gallatin  at  Elliston,  near  the  military  post 
of  Fort  Ellis,  twenty-two  miles  from  Livingston.  The 
scenery  in  Rock  canon  is  remarkably  grand  and  impres- 
sive. Enormous  precipices  of  gray  rock  with  castellated 
seams  rise  high  above  the  dark  forests  which  clothe  the 
sides  of  the  narrow  ravine.  The  rocks  have  been  worn  by 
the  action  of  the  weather  into  many  singular  and  fantastic 
shapes.  At  several  places  massive  walls  run  up  the  moun- 
tain sides,  so  regular  in  their  appearance  that  they  seem 
to  have  been  built  by  human  hands. 

Timberline,  just  west  of  the  tunnel,  is  a  shipping  sta- 
tion for  coal  mines  which  furnish  a  good  quality  of  bitum- 
inous coal,  not  as  rich  in  carbon  as  Ohio  or  Indiana  coal, 
but  a  good  locomotive  and  domestic  fuel. 

Bozeman  (1,032  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  4,500), 
the  county  seat  of  Gallatin  county,  is  situated  near  the 
end  of  the  Gallatin  valley,  M  its  narrowest  point.  North 
of  the  city  the  mountains  are  about  three  miles  distant; 
but  the  range  suddenly  diverges  in  the  same  direction,  and 
afterward  the  valley  becomes  twenty  miles  in  width.  Boze- 
man is  the  oldest  established  town  on  the  line  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  railroad   in    Montana,  the    townsite  hav- 


Ommerxlcl  \>,  obtain  ;i   "  Manual. '  the    trains 

decern  He  National  Park,  profusely  Ulutarated. 


176  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

ing  been  laid  out  in  July,  1864.  In  August  of  that  year 
a  well-known  frontiersman,  John  Bozeman,  reached  the 
place  in  charge  of  a  party  of  emigrants,  who  were  so 
impressed  with  the  beauty  and  fertile  soil  of  the  valley 
that  they  determined  to  go  no  further.  The  town  was 
named  in  honor  of  this  pioneer,  who  was  murdered  three 
years  afterward  by  Indians  in  the  Yellowstone  valley.  In 
1865  a  mill  was  put  in  operation,  and  two  years  afterward 
Fort  Ellis,  situated  two  and  a  half  miles  east  of  the  town, 
was  established,  and  garrisoned  by  three  companies  of  the 
United  States  troops.  The  post  was  abandoned  in  1887. 
The  gradual  increase  of  population  in  the  Gallatin  valley 
was  soon  evident,  settlers  coming  in  from  the  surround- 
ing country,  and  making  Bozeman  their  trading  centre. 
The  city  presents  a  very  attractive  appearance  with  its 
many  substantial  brick  structures,  among  which  are  busi- 
ness blocks,a  four-story  hotel,  churches,  graded  schools,  and 
a  court-house,  while  on  every  side  appear  handsome  resi- 
dences and  neat  cottages. 

Bozeman  is  the  best  stopping  place  for  the  traveler  who 
wishes  to  see  what  can  be  done  in  Montana  in  irrigation  on 
small  farms.  Well  cultivated  farms,  supplied  with  water 
from  mountain  streams,  extend  up  and  down  the  valley  for 
thirty  miles.  Here  wheat  ordinarily  yields  from  35  to  50 
bushels  to  the  acre,  and  oats  from  60  to  100  bushels.  There 
is  never  a  failure  of  crops.  The  farmers  are  as  a  rule  in 
independent  circumstances.  The  scenery  surrounding 
Bozeman  is  very  picturesque.  Thermal  Springs,  said  to 
contain  medicinal  properties,  are  within  an  hour's  drive. 
Matthews'  Hot  Springs,  with  a  hotel  and  bath  house,  are 
seven  miles  distant.  Mystic  Lake,  twelve  miles  from  the 
town,  covers  about  eighty  acres,  and  is  a  beautiful  sheet  of 
water.     On  the  mountains  around  Mystic  Lake,  and  in  the 


7  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  177 

vicinity  of  Bozeman,  are  forests  of  stately  pines.  Bozeman 
has  remarkable  advantages  as  a  summer  resort.  The  air 
is  cool  and  invigorating.  The  mercury  seldom  goes  up  as 
high  as  850,  and  the  nights  are  always  cool.  There  are 
numerous  pleasant  drives  in  the  vicinity,  and  interesting 
excursions  are  made  to  the  wild  canons  of  the  Bridger  and 
Gallatin  mountains. 

The  Montana  Agricultural  College  and  Experiment 
Station  is  located  at  Bozeman. 

Mountain  and  Valley  Views. — After  leaving  Boze- 
man, the  railroad  traverses  the  broad,  level  valleys 
watered  by  the  East  and  West  Gallatin  rivers.  Farming 
is  carried  on  by  irrigation,  the  gentle  slope  of  the  valley 
being  very  favorable  for  the  construction  and  management 
of  ditches.  The  mountains  on  the  east  are  the  Belts,  and 
the  two  high  peaks  on  the  near  horizon  are  Mount  Bridge- 
man  and  Mount  Blackmore.  On  the  south  are  the  peaks  of 
Gallatin,  and  on  the  west  the  Main  Divide  of  the  Rockies 
bounds  the  view. 

A  Big  Barley  Farm. — Manhattan  (1,051  miles  from 
St.  Paul),  is  in  the  center  of  the  largest  barley  farm  in  the 
world.  The  farm,  which  is  seven  miles  long  and  five  miles 
wide,  is  the  property  of  a  company  of  New  York  City 
brewers  and  other  capitalists,  who  bought  part  of  the  land 
from  the  Northern  Pacific  company  and  the  rest  from 
settlers,  and  who  have  brought  the  greater  part  of  it  under 
ditches  and  are  raising  barley  for  making  malt.  This  com- 
pany owns  the  150,000-bushel  elevator  and  the  large  malt 
house  at  the  station,  and  nearly  all  the  other  buildings 
in  the  villages.  The  farming  operations  are  carried  on 
scientifically,  and  have  produced  favorable  financial  results. 
Some  of  the  plowing  is  done  by  steam,  the  gang-plow 
being  hauled   across   the  fields  by  a  traction  engine.     In 


178  The  Northern   Pacific  Railroad, 

the  early  summer  the  growing  barley,  of  different  shades 
of  green,  gives  a  beautiful   appearance   to   the  landscape. 

Logan  (1,051  miles  from  St.  Paul)  is  the  diverging  point 
for  the  line,  by  way  of  Butte,  which  rejoins  the  main 
line  at  Garrison,  125  miles  distant.  This  is  called  the 
Northern  Pacific  and  Montana  branch,  and  is  described 
under  that  head.  Travelers  holding  through  tickets  have 
their  choice  of  the  two  routes,  via  Helena  or  via  Butte,  the 
trains  over  the  two  lines  joining  and  consolidating  at  Gar- 
rison. Each  line  has  special  scenic  beauties  and  special 
interests  in  towns  and  mining  industries. 

The  Three  Forks  of  the  Missouri. — Gallatin  is  the 
station  for  old  Gallatin  City,  at  the  three  forks  of 
the  Missouri,  and  for  the  new  town  of  Three  Forks.  Gal- 
latin City  was  formerly  a  commercial  town  of  some  impor- 
tance, but  is  now  merely  a  decayed  hamlet  of  half  a  dozen 
buildings.  Within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  this  place  there 
is  a  rocky  elevation  from  which  may  be  seen  the  meeting 
of  the  waters  which  form  the  Missouri  river.  The  Madi- 
son and  Jefferson  unite  about  half  a  mile  south  of  this 
promontory,  and  are  joined  by  the  Gallatin  a  short  dis- 
tance north  of  the  rock.  When  Lewis  and  Clarke  ascended 
the  Missouri  on  their  exploring  expedition  in  1806  they 
were  unable  to  determine  which  of  the  three  streams 
should  be  regarded  as  the  Missouri,  and  therefore  con- 
cluded to  give  a  separate  name  to  each.  Later  explora- 
tions showed  that  the  Jefferson  was  in  reality  the  main 
river,  being  considerably  longer  than  either  of  the  other 
two  streams,  and  carrying  a  larger  volume  of  water.  Lewis 
and  Clarke,  therefore,  robbed  the  Missouri  of  over  300  miles 
of  its  length,  by  confining  its  name  to  its  course  below  the 
junction  of  the  three  streams  which  form  it. 

After  leaving  Gallatin  the  railroad  enters  a  savage  gorge 


180  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

of  weather-worn  rocks  showing  stains  of  iron  and  copper, 
and  rising  to  the  height  of  several  hundred  feet  above  the 
track.  On  one  side  of  the  road  runs  the  swift,  clear  cur- 
rent of  the  Missouri,  and  on  the  other  tower  enormous 
precipices.  The  scenery  in  this  canon  is  among  the  finest 
on  the  whole  line  of  the  road. 

Toston  (1,086  from  St.  Paul,  population  200)  is  a  town 
at  the  head  of  what  is  known  as  the  Missouri  valley.  This 
name  is  locally  applied  to  a  stretch  of  rich  bottom  lands, 
about  thirty  miles  long,  and  from  three  to  five  in  width. 
There  is  a  smelter  at  Toston  which  uses  the  ores  found  a 
few  miles  distant  on  the  opposite  of  the  Missouri  river  in 
combination  with  ores  brought  from  the  Cceur  d'Alene 
mining  district  in  Northern  Idaho. 

Townsend  (1,097  miles  from  St.  Paul)  has  a  good  situ- 
ation near  the  centre  of  the  Missouri  valley,  and  is  a  place 
of  considerable  trade.  The  upper  and  middle  portions  of 
the  valley  are  irrigated  from  small  streams  running  out 
of  the  defiles  in  the  Belt  mountains,  and  the  lower  portion 
gets  water  from  a  ditch  taken  out  of  the  Missouri.  The 
town  was  established  in  1883.  There  is  a  daily  stage  line 
at  White  Sulphur  Springs,  the  county  seat  of  Meagher 
county,  fort}  miles  distant,  on  the  other  side  of  the  Belt 
mountains.  White  Sulphur  Springs  has  a  population  of 
about  500,  and  is  an  important  trading  point  for  a  large 
district  of  grazing  country.  The  springs  are  renowned  in 
Montana  for  their  curative  properties,  and  are  much  visited 
by  invalids.  Good  hotel  accommodations  can  be  had.  The 
Castle  silver  mines  are  also  reached  by  stage  from  Towns- 
end,  a  distance  of  sixty  miles. 

Gorges  and  Canyons. — Across  the  Missouri  valley 
from  Townsend,  in  a  northeasterly  direction,  a  series  of  deep 
gorges,  or  canyons,  have  been  cut  by  the  waters  in  the  faces 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  181 

of  the  precipitous  mountains.  Crowning  the  summits  of 
the  first  range  skirting  the  valley  is  a  gigantic  ledge  of 
lime  rock.  This  ledge  has  been  thrown  up  in  places  to  a 
great  height  with  almost  vertical  sides,  which  are  partly- 
smooth,  partly  seamed  and  gashed  by  ages  of  storms,  and 
sometimes  cut  through  from  top  to  bottom  by  the  streams, 
forming  narrow  gorges  of  fantastic  shapes.  Avalanche 
Canyon  is  of  great  note^  from  its  wild  beauty  and  extensive 
and  rich  placer  mines.  This  canyon  received  its  name  from 
the  frequency  of  avalanches,  or  snow  slides,  which  rush 
down  its  almost  perpendicular  sides  in  winter,  sometimes 
completely  filling  the  gorge.  Hell  Gate  canyon,  about  two 
miles  westward,  while  having  a  peculiarly  suggestive  name, 
amply  merits  the  appellation.  Perhaps  in  no  other  acces- 
sible spot  in  Montana  is  there  as  much  rugged  beauty  in  so 
small  a  place.  The  canyon  forms  the  tortuous  passage  of  a 
silvery  stream  through  a  series  of  gates  cut  in  very  high 
walls.  These  gates  are  so  narrow  that  a  man  can  span  their 
width  with  extended  arms.  The  walls  are  only  a  few  feet  in 
thickness,  but  of  a  surprising  height.  On  each  side  of  the 
main  gorge  are  smooth  fissures,  called  Devil's  Slides,  and 
every  nook  is  filled  with  bright  mosses  and  lichens. 

Bedford  (1,100  miles  from  St.  Paul)  is  an  old  mining 
town,  with  a  small  hotel  and  a  few  business  houses.  Some 
placer  mining  is  carried  on  in  the  neighboring  gulch.  In 
the  early  days  of  mining  in  Montana,  there  were  two  placer 
camps  near  Bedford,  with  the  singular  names  of  "Hog'em" 
and  "Cheat'em." 

Prickly  Pear  Junction  (1,126  miles  from  St.  Paul)  is 

the    point  of  divergence  of  the  Helena  &  Jefferson  County 

railroad,  which   runs  to  the  important  mining  district  of 

Wickes,  on    the  eastern    slope    of    the  Rocky  mountains, 

nty  miles  distant,  to  Boulder,  the  county  seat  of  Jeffer- 


182  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad* 

son  county,  and  the  center  of  a  productive  silver-mining 
district,  and  also  to  Elkhorn,  where  there  is  one  of  the 
most  productive  quartz  mines  in  the  State.  A.  large  smelt- 
ing plant  is  located  at  Prickly  Pear  Junction  and  is  owned 
by  Helena  capitalists.  Ores  are  brought  by  rail  to  these 
works  from  nearly  all  the  mining  districts  of  Central  and 
Western  Montana. 

Helena  (1,130  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  18,000). 
— Helena,  the  capital  of  Montana,  is  pleasantly  situated  at 
the  eastern  foot  of  the  main  chain  of  the  Rocky  mountains, 
in  latitude  460  30'  N.,  and  longitude  1 1 20  4'  west  of  Green- 
wich, on  both  sides  of  the  famous  Last  Chance  Gulch, 
from  which  at  least  ten  millions  of  dollars'  worth  of  nug- 
gets and  gold  dust  have  been  taken,  and  which  still  yields 
annually  a  considerable  amount  of  the  precious  metal.  So 
large  was  the  influx  of  miners  at  this  point  in  1864,  that  the 
United  States  Government  felt  compelled  to  establish  a 
postoffice  for  their  accommodation.  Until  then  the  camp 
had  been  known  as  "Crab  Town;"  but  a  meeting  was  called 
for  the  purpose  of  selecting  a  better  name,  and  the  major- 
ity of  those  assembled  decided  upon  christening  it  after 
Helen  of  Troy.  The  city  is  the  commercial  and  financial 
center  of  the  State,  and  the  converging  point  of  railroad, 
stage,  express  and  telegraph  lines.  It  contains  a  hand- 
some court  house,  built  of  Rocky  mountain  granite  and 
sandstone,  an  auditorium  for  public  gatherings,  built  by  the 
city,  a  United  States  assay  office,  a  college  and  a  theater. 
It  has  electric  street  railways,  water-works,  large  public 
school  buildings,  daily  newspapers  and  many  imposing 
structures  used  for  banking  and  general  business.  There 
are  a  number  of  costly  and  handsome  private  residences. 
The  leading  hotels  are  the  Helena,  the  Merchants  and  the 
Grand  Central.     The  business  center  is  about  two    miles 


The  Gates  of  the  Rocky  Mountatm.  Mittotm  Rivi 


184  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

from  the  railway  station  and  is  conveniently  reached  by 
electric  cars.  The  traveler  can  get  no  adequate  idea  of  the 
size  or  beauty  of  the  city  by  what  can  be  seen  from 
the  depot  platform  or  the  windows  of  the  passing  train. 
The  Montana  Central  railroad,  from  Great  Falls  to 
Butte,  runs  through  Helena,  and  the  city  is  the  diverging 
point  of  three  branches  of  the  Northern  Pacific  system, 
running  to  mining  towns. 

Helena  is  surrounded  by  mountains,  rising  one  above 
the  other  until  the  more  distant  are  lost  among  the  clouds, 
forming  a  view  of  striking  beauty  and  grandeur,  which  is 
visible  from  every  part  of  the  city.  To  the  south  and  west 
these  mountains  recede  in  long,  picturesque,  timbered 
ridges,  to  the  main  range  of  the  continental  divide.  The 
Missouri  river  is  only  twelve  miles  distant,  and  eighteen 
miles  north  of  the  city  begins  the  famous  canyon  of  the  Mis- 
souri river,  named  by  Lewis  and  Clark's  expedition  in  1805 
"The  Gates  of  the  Rocky  mountains."  Here  the  river 
has  forced  its  way  through  a  spur  of  the  Belt  mountains, 
forming  cliffs,  frequently  vertical,  from  500  to  1,500  feet 
high,  which  rise  from  the  water's  edge  for  a  distance  of 
twelve  miles.  A  monumental  column  rising  high  above 
the  general  level  of  the  walls  of  the  canyon  and  plainly 
visible  from  Helena,  is  called  the  Bear's  Tooth.  Sapphires 
and  precious  garnets  are  mined  on  the  gravel  beaches 
along  the  Missouri  just  above  the  canyon. 

The  Broadwater  Hotel  and  Hot  Springs.— About 
three  miles  from  Helena  and  reached  by  two  lines  of  elec- 
tric railroad,  is  one  of  the  finest  health  and  pleasure  resorts 
in  the  West,  established  by  the  liberality  of  the  late  Colonel 
Broadwater,  a  Helena  millionaire.  The  Hotel  Broadwater 
is  a  thoroughly  first-class  summer  hotel,  elegantly  fur- 
inshed,  and  having  a  number  of   private  bath    rooms  to 


Seven  Hunared  Miles  in  Montana.  185 

which  natural  hot  mineral  water  is  conducted  in  pipes  from 
a  neighboring  hot  spring.  Near  the  hotel  is  the  immense 
oriental  structure  of  the  Natatorium,  where  there  is  a 
swimming  bath  under  roof,  300  feet  long  by  100  feet 
wide.  Comfortable  dressing  rooms  surround  the  bath. 
The  water  flows  over  an  artificial  structure  of  rock  work  in 
two  cascades,  one  of  hot  and  one  of  cold  water,  which 
unite  midway  of  the  descent  and  form  a  single  fall.  The 
temperature  of  the  hot  water  cascade  varies  from  1 10  to  140 
degrees  Fahrenheit.  Around  the  hotel  and  Natatorium 
the  grounds  are  prettily  ornamented  with  fountains,  flower 
beds,  shrubbery  and  walks.  Tourists  will  find  this  a 
delightful  resting  place  to  break  the  journey  across  the 
continent.  All  the  comforts  of  the  best  summer  resort 
hotels  in  the  East  can  be  enjoyed,  including  good  music 
and  good  cooking. 

Across  the  Main  Divide. — About  twenty-one  miles 
from  Helena  the  main  range  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  is 
crossed  by  the  railroad  at  the  Mullan  Pass,  so  named  after 
Lieut.  John  Mullan,  U.  S.  A.,  who  in  1867  built  a  wagon 
road  from  Fort  Benton,  Mont.,  to  Fort  Walla  Walla,  Wash., 
thus  bringing  these  distant  military  posts  into  direct  com- 
munication. Here  there  is  a  tunnel  3,850  feet  in  length, 
and  5,547  feet  above  the  level  of  the  ocean,  lower  by  more 
than  2,500  feet  than  the  highest  elevation  of  the  Union 
Pacific  railroad,  and  1,200  feet  below  the  highest  elevation 
on  the  line  of  the  Central  Pacific.  The  route  from  Helena 
to  the  Mullan  Pass  is  through  the  charming  valley  of  the 
Prickly  Pear,  across  Ten-Mile  creek,  and  up,  past  heavy 
growths  of  pine  and  spruce,  and  masses  of  broken  boulders, 
the  narrow  basin  of  Seven-Mile  creek  to  the  eastern  portal 

'lie  tunnel.  The  scene  from  above  reveals  one  of  the 
most  picturesque  regions  in   Montana,  in  which  mountain 


186  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

and  valley,    forest  and  stream,  are   conspicuous  features. 
Describing  this  region,  E.  V.  Smalley  wrote  : 

"  Approached  from  the  east,  the  Rocky  Mountains  seem 
well  to  deserve  their  name.  Gigantic  cliffs  and  buttresses 
of  granite  appear  to  bar  the  way  and  to  forbid  the  traveler's 
further  progress.  There  are  depressions  in  the  range,  how- 
ever, where  ravines  run  up  the  slopes,  and  torrents  come 
leaping  down,  fed  by  melting  snows.  Over  one  of  these 
depressions  Lieut.  John  Mullan  built  a  wagon  road  a  score 
of  years  ago,  to  serve  the  needs  of  army  transportation 
between  the  head  of  navigation  at  the  Great  Falls  of  the 
Missouri  and  the  posts  in  Oregon.  Mullan's  wisdom  in 
selecting  the  pass,  which  bears  his  name,  was  indorsed 
when  the  railroad  engineers  found  it  to  be  the  most  favor- 
able on  the  Northern  Pacific  line.  The  road  is  carried  up 
ravines  and  across  the  face  of  foot-hills  to  a  steep  wall, 
where  it  dives  into  the  mountain  side,  runs  under  the  crest 
of  the  Divide  through  a  tunnel  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
long,  and  comes  out  upon  smiling  green  and  flowery 
meadows  to  follow  a  clear  trout  stream  down  to  a  river 
whose  waters  seek  the  mighty  Columbia.  The  contrast 
between  the  western  and  eastern  sides  of  the  Main  Divide 
of  the  Rockies  is  remarkable.  On  the  eastern  slope  the 
landscapes  are  magnificently  savage  and  sombre  ;  on  the 
western  slope  they  have  a  pleasant  pastoral  beauty,  and 
one  might  think  himself  in  the  hill  country  of  western 
Pennsylvania,  instead  of  high  up  on  the  side  of  the  great 
water-shed  of  the  continent.  The  forest  tracts  look  like 
groves  planted  by  a  landscape  gardener  in  some  stately 
park,  and  the  grassy  slopes  and  valleys,  covered  with  blue 
and  yellow  flowers,  and  traversed  by  swift,  clear  brooks, 
add  to  the  pleasure-ground  appearance  of  the  country. 
What  a  glorious  place  this  would  be  for  summer  camping, 
trout  fishing,  and  shooting,  is  the  thought  of  every  traveler 
as  he  descends  from  the  summit,  with  his  hands  full  of 
flowers  picked  close  to  a  snow-bank.  Snow  Shoe  Mountain 
rises  just  in  front,  across  a  lovely,  verdant  valley.  Powell's 
Peak,  a  massive  white  pyramid,  cuts  the  clear  sky  with  its 
sharp  outlines  on  the  further  horizon,  and  a  cool  breeze 
blows  straight  from  the  Pacific  Ocean." 


//  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  187 

Passing  down  the  western  slope  the  descent  is  made  to 
the  valley  of  the  Little  Blackfoot  river.  This  valley  is  open 
and  well  grassed,  with  cottonwood  on  the  stream  and  pine 
on  the  slopes  of  the  hills.  The  river  received  its  name 
from  the  Blackfeet  Indians,  who  often  passed  down  the 
valley  in  early  days  to  make  the*ir  raids  upon  the  Flathead 
Indians.  There  is  good  ruffed  grouse  shooting  in  the  val- 
ley, and  also  a  great  many  blue  grouse  in  the  neighboring 
canons.  In  October  black-tailed  deer  are  plentiful,  and 
elk  are  also  found  in  the  mountains.  Bear — black,  grizzly 
and  cinnamon — can  be  found. 

The  stations  on  the  Little  Blackfoot  are  Elliston  and 
Avon,  small  towns  which  supply  neighboring  mines  and 
ranches. 

Garrison  (miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  200),  in  the 
valley  of  the  Deer  Lodge  river,  is  the  junction  of  the 
Montana  Union  railroad  with  the  Northern  Pacific.  Gar- 
rison was  named  in  honor  of  William  Lloyd  Garrison,  the 
eminent  leader  of  the  anti-slavery  movement  in  the  days 
before  the  civil  war.  It  derives  its  importance  from  the 
transfer  of  freights  and  other  railroad  business.  The 
Montana  Union  railroad,  owned  jointly  by  the  Northern 
and  Union  Pacific  companies,  runs  up  the  Deer  Lodge 
valley  from  Garrison  to  Deer  Lodge,  Anaconda  and  Butte. 
Down  the  Hell  Gate  River. — After  leaving  Garrison, 
there  are  fine  views  of  mountain  scenery,  especially  on  the 
left  hand,  where  the  snow-mantled  peaks  of  Mount  Powell 
appe 

>w  the  mouth  of  the   Little   Blackfoot,   Deer  Lodge 

r  changes  its  name  to  Hell  date  river.   The  valley  here 

rather  abruptly  narrows,   its  breadth   for  seven    or   eight 

miles  scarcely  exceeding  a  single  mile,  with  mountains  on 

the  right  hand  and  bold  bluffs  on  the  left;  but  it  again    be- 


188  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

comes  broader  where  the  waters  of  Flint  creek  flow  from 
the  south  and  swell  the  volume  of  the  river. 

Gold  Creek  (1,190  miles  from  St.  Paul)  is  the  station 
for  the  old  mining  town  of  Pioneer,  about  three  miles  dis- 
tant. On  Gold  creek  the  first  discovery  of  gold  within  the 
present  limits  of  Montana  was  made  in  1862.  At  the  mouth 
of  the  stream  there  are  enormous  bars  of  gravel  and  bould- 
ers produced  by  the  hydraulic  and  sluice  washings  in  the 
region  above.  There  is  still  some  placer  mining  done  on 
this  creek. 

Near  Gold  Creek  station  the  ends  of  the  track  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  railroad,  advancing  from  the  east  and  the 
west,  were  joined  in  September,  1883.  The  event  was  made 
the  occasion  of  a  remarkable  celebration,  which  was  at- 
tended by  many  distinguished  guests  of  the  railroad  com- 
pany from  England,  Germany,  and  from  the  principal  cit- 
ies of  the  East,  and  also  from  thePacific  coast.  The  east- 
ern guests  arrived  in  four  immense  trains,  and  were  joined 
by  a  fifth  train  loaded  with  guests  from  Portland  and  other 
towns  on  the  Pacific  coast.  This  opening  excursion  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  was  the  most  extensive  and  liberal  affair 
of  the  kind  known  in  railway  annals.  The  first  iron  spike 
driven  in  the  construction  of  the  Northern  Pacific  railroad 
was  used  as  the  last  spike,  and  was  driven  by  Henry  Vil- 
lard,  at  that  time  president  of  the  railroad  company. 

Drummond  (1,202  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population  300) 
is  the  junction  of  the  Drummond  &  Philipsburg  railroad. 
Considerable  sluice  and  hydraulic  mining  is  done  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  the  valley  of  Flint  creek,  which  joines 
the  river  opposite  the  town,  contains  many  well  cultivated 
farms. 

Through  Hell  Gate  Canyon.— A  short  distance  below 
Bearmouth  the  Hell  Gate  canyon  is  entered.    This  is,  how- 


•7    Hundred  A  files  in   Montana.  189 

ever,  no  narrow  mountain  pass,  as  its  name  would  indicate, 
but,  rather,a  valley  from  two  to  three  miles  in  width,  extend- 
ing a  distance  of  forty  miles  to  the  junction  of  the  Hell 
Gate  river  with  the  Big  Blackfoot,  after  which  it  widens 
to  unite  with  the  valley  of  the  Bitter  Root,  whereon  Mis- 
soula stands.  The  scenery  along  the  Hell  Gate  canyon  is 
very  fine  often  grand.  Rock-ribbed  mountains  rise  on 
either  hand,  their  slopes  black  with  noble  specimens  of 
yellow  pine,  and  flecked  in  autumn  with  the  bright  gold 
of  giant  tamaracks.  The  stream  itself  is  deep  and  swift, 
quite  clear  also,  except  where  it  receives  the  murky  water 
of  its  many  tributaries,  which  latter  in  summer  are  always 
coffee-colored  from  the  labors  of  the  gold  washers  in  the 
mountains.  Many  islands  covered  with  cottonwood  and 
other  deciduous  growths,  lie  in  the  crooked  channel,  add- 
ing to  the  general  picturesqueness.  Two-thirds  of  the 
way  down  the  canyon,  Stony  creek,  a  fine,  bold  mountain 
stream,  enters  from  the  southwest,  after  flowing  eighty 
miles  through  the  range  between  the  Deer  Lodge  and  Bitter 
Root  valleys.  The  water  teems  with  trout.  The  Big 
Blackfoot,  Hell  Gate's  largest  tributary,  comes  in  from 
the  east,  with  a  valley  eighty  miles  long  and  varying  from 
half  a  mile  to  twelve  miles  in  width,  considered  one  of  the 
finest  grazing  and  agricultural  sections  in  Montana. 
Many  good  quartz  and  galena  leads  have  been  discovered 
in  the  mountains,  and  the  Wallace  district,  near  Baker 
station,  is  especially  promising. 

There  are  several  large  saw-mills  in  the  Hell  Gate 
canyon,  which  obtain  their  logs  from  the  canyon  itself  and 
from  the  neighboring  mountains.  The  principal  market 
for  the  lumber  is  in  Butte,  where  it  is  in  demand,  not 
only  for  building  purposes,  but  in  large  quantities  for  sup- 
ports to  roofs  of  the  mines. 


190  The  Northern   Pacific  Railroad. 

Bonner  (1,248  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  150)  is 
a  saw-mill  village  near  the  crossing  of  the  Big  Blackfoot 
river.  The  mills  at  this  place  are  the  most  important  in 
Western  Montana.  Logs  are  floated  down  the  Big  Black- 
foot  river  from  the  slopes  of  the  main  divide  of  the  Rocky 
mountains. 

Beaver  Hill — A  Legend. — In  traveling  between  Deer 
Lodge  and  Missoula,  twenty-eight  miles  from  the  latter 
place,  at  Kramer's  Ranch,  a  remarkable  ridge  or  tongue  of 
land  is  seen  stretching  across  the  valley  of  the  Hell  Gate 
river  from  the  east  side,  almost  in  the  form  of  a  beaver 
couchant.  It  is  known  as  Beaver  Hill,  and  it  projects  so 
near  to  the  mountains  on  the  west  side  of  the  valley  as  to 
nearly  dam  up  the  river,  which  is  here  compressed  into  a 
narrow,  rocky  channel.  There  is  a  legend  connected 
with  this  hill,  which  is  about  as  follows: 

A  great  many  years  ago,  before  the  country  was  inhab- 
ited by  men,  the  valleys  along  the  whole  length  of  the 
river  and  its  branches  were  occupied  by  vast  numbers  of 
beavers.  There  was  a  great  king  of  all  the  beavers, 
named  Skookum  (which  in  Indian  means  "good"),  who 
lived  in  a  splendid  winter  palace  up  at  the  Big  Warm 
Spring  mound,  whereon  the  State  insane  asylum  is  now 
situated.  One  day  the  king  received  word  that  his  sub- 
jects down  the  river  had  refused  to  obey  his  authority,  and 
were  going  to  set  up  an  independent  government.  In 
great  haste  he  collected  a  large  army  of  beavers,  detach- 
ments joining  him  from  every  tributary  on  the  way  down. 
On  arriving  at  the  great  plain  now  crossed  by  Beaver 
Hill,  he  halted  his  army,  and  demanded  of  the  rebels  that 
they  pay  their  accustomed  tribute  and  renew  their  alle- 
giance. This  they  insultingly  refused  to  do,  saying  they 
owned  the  river  below    to  the  sea,  that  it  was  larger  and 


7   Hundred  Miles   in  Montana.  191 

longer  than  that  above;  and,  as  they  were  more  numerous, 
they  would  pay  tribute  to  no  one.  The  old  king  was 
able  and  wily,  and  immediately  sent  for  every  beaver  unpler 
his  jurisdiction.  When  all  had  arrived  he  held  a  council 
of  war,  and  said, that,  as  he  owned  the  sources  of  the  great 
river,  he  would  dam  it  at  that  point,  and  turn  the  channel 
across  to  the  Missouri.  This  would  bring  the  rebels  to  terms 
below,  because  they  could  not  live  without  water.  He  so 
disposed  his  army  that  in  one  night  they  scooped  out  the 
great  gulch  that  now  comes  in  on  the  north  side  of  Beaver 
Hill,  and  with  the  earth  taken  out  the  hill  was  formed  in 
a  night,  and  so  completely  dammed  up  the  river  that  not 
a  drop  of  water  could  get  through.  When  the  rebellious 
beavers  below  saw  the  water  run  by  and  the  river  bed  dry 
up,  they  hastened  to  make  peace,  paid  their  tribute  (internal 
revenue  tax,  perhaps)  and  renewed  their  former  allegiance. 
So  King  Skookum  had  the  west  end  of  the  dam  removed, 
and  ever  since  that  time  the  river  has  run  "unvexed  to  the 
sea."  To  commemorate  the  event,  he  had  the  earth  piled 
up  on  the  top  of  the  hill  to  resemble  a  beaver  in  form,  and 
it  can  be  seen  either  up  or  down  the  river  a  long  way. 
The  Indians  who  first  settled  up  the  valley  got  this  legend 
from  the  beavers,  their  cousins,  more  than  a  thousand 
years  ago;  for  in  those  ancient  times  they  could  converse 
together,  and  did  hold  communication  until  some  young 
and  treacherous  Indians  made  war  on  the  beavers  for  their 
furs,  when  the  beavers  solemnly  resolved  never  to  converse 
with  them  again,  and  have  steadfastly  kept  their  word. 

Missoula  (1,255    miles  from  St.  Paul;  population  5,000) 

is  the  county  seat  of   Missoula  county  and    the  junction   of 

Bitter    Root  Valley   railroad    and     the    1  ><•   Sniet    and 

\t  d'Alene    railroad.      It    is    beautifully  situated    at    the 

the  Rocky  mountains,  on  a  broad  pla- 


7  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  193 

teau  on  the  north  side  of  the  Missoula  river,  near  its  junc- 
tion with  the  Bitter  Root  and  the  Hell  Gate#  and  commands 
a  lovely  view  of  the  valley  and  the  surrounding  mountain 
ranges,  that  stretch  away  as  far  as  the  eye  can  see.  This 
town  used  to  be  as  isolated  and  remote  a  frontier  post  as 
could  be  found  in  the  Northwest;  but  the  railroad  has 
converted  it  into  a  stirring  place.  It  contains  an  opera 
house,  well  appointed  hotels,  railroad  repair  shops,  hand- 
some public  school  buildings,  a  female  seminary,  conducted 
by  the  Sisters  of  Charity,  a  hospital,  also  under  the  charge 
of  the  same  sisterhood,  and  also  a  sanitarium  of  the  West- 
ern division  of  the  Northern  Pacific  railroad,  conducted 
on  the  same  plan  as  the  sanitarium  at  Brainerd,  Minn., 
which  takes  charge  of  sick  and  injured  employes  on  the 
Eastern  division  of  the  road.  It  has  many  attractive  and 
substantial  business  blocks  and  residences.  There  are  also 
a  flouring  mill  and  saw-mills. 

The  fertile  lands  of  the  plain  near  by  and  the  large  and 
rich  valley  of  the  Bitter  Root,  already  well  settled,  over 
eighty  miles  long,  with  an  average  width  of  about  seven 
miles,  besides  other  agricultural  districts  to  the  northward, 
all  make  a  lively  trade.  The  altitude  of  this  region  is 
about  3,000  feet.  The  climate  is  not  as  cold  as  in  a 
similar  latitude  east  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  and  the  soil 
produces  readily  a  great  variety  of  cereals,  fruits  and  veg- 
etables. 

In  clear  weather  a  tine  view  of  the  Bitter  Root  range  of 
mountains,  including  the  highest  summit  of  the  range, 
1 1  •  ■  !  .  may  be  had  from  the  train  as  it  runs  down  the 

valley  after  leaving  Missoula. 

country  surrounding  Missoula  has  been  the  scene 
of  many  fierce  conflicts  between  the  Indians.  Before  the 
whites  inhabited  the  territory,  the  Blackfeet  Indians  am- 


194  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad* 

bushed  Chief  Coriacan,  of  the  Flatheads,  in  a  defile  four- 
teen miles  north  of  the  city,  with  a  portion  of  his  tribe, 
and  massacred  nearly  every  man.  A  few  years  later  the 
Flatheads  avenged  their  chief's  death  by  killing  a  like 
number  of  Blackfeet  in  the  same  defile,  which  now  bears 
Coriacan's  name. 

Missoula  county  embraces  the  large  and  fertile  valleys  of 
the  Missoula,  the  Bitter  Root  and  the  Jocko.  The  county  is 
heavily  timbered  and  is  rich  in  mineral  and  grazing  lands.  It 
contains  also  many  beautiful  lakes,  well  stocked  with  fish  and 
frequented  by  water  fowl.  Good  trout  fishing,  as  well  as 
various  other  kinds,  is  obtained  in  the  MissouU,  the  Bitter 
Root,  Jocko,  Lo-Lo,  Flathead,  Big  Blackfoot  and  Pend  d' 
Oreille  rivers,  and  in  numerous  mountain  creeks.  The 
mountain  goat  is  in  abundance,  and  can  be  found  in  the 
vicinity.  Fort  Missoula,  a  garrison  of  the  U.  S.  troops,  is 
pleasantly  situated  about  half  an  hour's  drive  from  the 
town,  in  the  Bitter  Root  valley. 

To  the  Coeur  d'Alene  Mines. — Travelers  who  wish  to 
go  by  the  shortest  route  to  the  Coeur  d'Alene  mining  towns 
should  leave  the  main  N.  P.  line  at  Missoula  and  take  the 
De  Smet  and  Cceur  d'Alene  branch,  which  crosses  the  Bitter 
Root  range  and  runs  to  Mullan,  Wallace  and  Wardner, 
Idaho,  in  the  silver  mining  district.  A  description  of  this 
route  will  be  found  in  the  latter  part  of  this  volume. 

The  Coriacan  Defile. — Leaving  Missoula,  the  railroad 
passes  westward  across  the  northern  edge  of  the  plain, 
over  a  low  and  well-timbered  divide,  which  separates  the 
waters  of  the  Missoula  river  (the  continuation  of  the  Hell 
Gate)  from  those  which  drain  into  the  Flathead.  Fourteen 
miles  from  Missoula  the  road  enters  the  Coriacan  defile, 
and  crosses  the  Marent  gulch  by  means  of  an  iron  bridge 
866  feet  in  length  and  226  feet  in  height.     The  Coriacan 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  195 

defile  is  surmounted  by  a  grade  of  116  feet  to  the  mile, 
the  whole  length  of  the  heavy  grade  being  thirteen  miles, 
ascending  and  descending.  The  track  follows  no  valley, 
but  proceeds  along  the  faces  of  hills,  which  are  covered 
with  fir,  pine  and  tamarack,  down  into  the  valley  of  the 
Jocko  river,  where  the  agency  of  the  Flathead  Indians  is 
established. 

Arlee  (1,282  miles  from  St.  Paul),  named  in  honor  of 
the  chief  of  the  Flatheads,  is  the  station  for  the  Flathead 
Indian  agency.  The  agency  buildings  are  in  sight,  about 
five  miles  distant,  at  the  foot  of  the  Mission  mountains. 

The  Flathead  Indian  Reservation. — This  reservation 
extends  along  the  Jocko  and  Pend  d'Oreille  rivers  a  distance 
of  sixty  miles.  It  contains  about  1,500,000  acres,  which,  if 
divided  among  the  1,200  Flathead,  Pend  d'Oreille  and  half- 
breed  Indians  who  hold  the  tract,  would  give  5,000  acres  to 
each  family  of  four  persons.  A  large  part  of  the  reservation 
consists  of  a  mountainous  area,  with  a  growth  of  valuable 
timber  ;  but  there  is  also  a  fair  quantity  of  fine  grazing 
land,  as  well  as  many  well-sheltered,  arable  valleys.  E.  V. 
Smalley  visited  the  reservation  in  the  summer  of  1882,  and 
gave  the  result  of  his  observations  in  the  Century  Magazine 
for  October  of  that  year  as  follows : 

"The  Flathead  agency  is  under  the  control  of  the  Cath- 
olic church,  which  supports  a  Jesuit  mission  upon  it,  and 
has  converted  all  of  the  inhabitants  to  at  least  a  nominal 
adhesion  to  its  faith.  At  the  missions  are  excellent  schools 
for  girls  and  boys,  a  church,  a  convent,  and  a  printing  of- 
fice which  has  turned  out,  among  other  works,  a  very 
creditable  dictionary  of  the  Kalispel  or  Flathead  language. 
The  agent,  Major  Ronan,  has  been  in  office  over  five  years, 
and,  with  the  aid  of  the  Jesuit  fathers,  has  been  remark- 
ably successful  in  educating  the  Indians  up  to  the  point  of 
living  in  log  houses,  fencing  fields,  cultivating  little  patches 
of  grain  and  potatoes,  and  keeping  cattle  and  horses.   The 


Sere/i  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  197 

Government  supplies  plows  and  wagons,  and  runs  a  saw- 
mill, grist-mill,  blacksmith  shop  and  threshing  machine 
for  their  free  use.  There  is  no  regular  issue  of  food  or 
clothing;  but  the  old  and  the  sick  receive  blankets,  sugar 
and  flour.  Probably  nine-tenths  of  those  Indians  are  self- 
sustaining.  Some  persist  in  leading  a  vagabond  life, 
wandering  about  the  country;  but  these  manage  to  pick  up 
a  living  by  hunting,  fishing  and  digging  roots,  and  sell 
ponies  enough  to  buy  blankets,  tobacco  and  powder.  But 
even  the  best  civilized,  who  own  comfortable  little  houses, 
with  plank  doors  and  porcelain  door  knobs,  got  from  the 
Government,  like  to  keep  their  canvas  lodges  pitched,  and 
prefer  to  sleep  in  them  in  summer  time.  Farming  is  lim- 
ited to  a  few  acres  for  each  family;  but  herding  is  carried 
on  rather  extensively.  Thousands  of  sleek  cattle  and  fine 
horses  feed  upon  the  bunch  pastures  along  the  Jocko  and 
and  the  Pend  d'Oreille,  on  the  Big  Camas  prairie,  and  by 
the  shores  of  Flathead  lake.  *  *  *  Probably 
there  is  no  better  example  of  a  tribe  being  brought  out 
of  savagery  in  one  generation  than  is  afforded  by  the 
Flatheads,  and  their  cousins,  the  Pend  d'Oreilles.  Much  of 
the  credit  for  this  achievement  is,  no  doubt  due  the  Jesuit 
fathers,  who,  like  all  the  Catholic  religious  orders,  show  a 
faculty  for  gaining  an  ascendency  over  the  minds  of  sav- 
ages, partly  by  winning  their  confidence  by  devoting  them- 
selves to  their  interests,  and  partly,  it  may  be,  by  offering 
them  a  religion  that  appeals  strongly  to  the  senses  and 
superstitions.  These  Indians  boast  that  their  tribe  never 
killed  a  white  *nan.  They  are  an  inoffensive,  child-like 
people,  and  are  easily  kept  in  order  by  the  agent,  aided  by 
a  few  native  policemen.  Life  and  property  are  as  secure 
among  them  as  in  most  civilized  communities.  With  them 
the  agency  system  amounts  only  to  a  paternal  supervision, 
providing  implements  and  machinery  for  husbandry,  and 
giving  aid  only  when  urgently  needed.  It  does  not,  as 
upon  many  reservations,  undertake  the  support  of  the  tribe 
by  issuing  rations  and  clothing.  Instead  of  surrounding 
the  agency  with  a  horde  of  lazy  beggars,  it  distributes  the 
Indians  over  the  reservation,  and  encourages  them  to  labor. 
It  Ottgfat  to  result  in  citizenship  and  separate  ownership  of 


198  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

the  land  for  the  Indians.  Many  of  them  would  now  like 
deeds  to  the  farms  they  occupy,  but  they  can  not  get  them 
without  legislation  from  Congress  changing  the  present 
Indian  policy.  Practically,  they  control  their  farms  and 
herds  as  individual  property;  but  they  have  no  sense  of 
secure  ownership,  and  no  legal  rights  as  against  their 
agent  or  the  chief.  Some  of  them  complain  of  the  tyranny 
of  the  native  police,  and  of  the  practice  of  cruelly  whipping 
women  when  accused  by  their  husbands  of  a  breach  of 
marriage  vows — a  practice  established,  it  is  charged,  by  the 
Jesuits;  but  in  the  main  they  seem  to  be  contented  and 
fairly  prosperous.  Among  them  are  many  half-breeds  who 
trace  their  ancestry  on  one  side  to  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
servants  or  French  Canadians — fine-looking  men  and  hand- 
some women  these,  as  a  rule.  They  are  proud  of  the  white 
blood  in  their  veins,  and  appear  to  be  respected  in  the  tribe 
on  account  of  it;  or  perhaps  it  is  their  superior  intelligence 
which  gains  for  them  the  influence  they  evidently  enjoy. 
Shiftless  white  men,  drifting  about  the  country,  frequently 
attempt  to  settle  in  the  reservation  and  get  a  footing  there 
by  marrying  squaws;  but  they  are  not  allowed  to  remain. 
The  Indians  do  not  object  to  their  company  so  much  as  the 
agent." 

Ravalli  (1,292  miles  from  St.  Paul)  is  the  station  for  the 
Saint  Ignatius  mission.  It  was  named  in  honor  of  Father 
Ravalli,  an  eminent  philanthropic  missionary  who  labored 
among  the  Flatheads  and  their  allied  tribes  for  about  forty 
years,  and  died  in  1884.  The  Saint  Ignatius  mission,  six 
miles  from  the  station  is,  with  the  exception  of  the  Saint 
Mary's  of  the  Bitter  Root  valley,  the  oldest  Catholic  mis- 
sion in  the  Northern  Rocky  mountain  region.  It  was 
established  in  1854.  It  consists  of  a  church,  a  school  for 
girls,  a  school  for  boys,  a  dwelling  for  the  missionary 
fathers,  and  numerous  shops  and  mills. 

Mission  valley  is  one  of  the  loveliest  in  Montana,  and 
is  well  worthy  the  attention  of  tourists.  The  Mission 
mountains,  which   bound   it   on   the  east,  are  unsurpassed 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  19£ 

for  grandeur  of  scenery  in  the  entire  Rocky  mountain 
chain.  They  contain  numerous  canyons  and  waterfalls. 
Flathead  lake  is  easily  reached  from  the  mission  by  a 
drive  of  about  thirty  miles  over  a  good  road. 

The  railroad  follows  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  Jocko 
river  to  its  confluence  with  the  Flathead,  forty-four  miles 
from  Missoula.  The  Flathead  for  the  next  twenty-five 
miles,  until  its  waters  are  united  with  those  of  the  Missouri, 
is  now  called  the  Pend  d'Oreille  river.  Keeping  along  the 
left  or  southern  bank  of  this  stream  for  seventeen  miles, 
the  road  sweeps  around  a  grand  curve,  and  crosses  to  the 
right  bank  over  a  fine  truss  bridge,  which,  with  its  ap- 
proaches, is  about  800  feet  long.  Eight  miles  beyond  the 
crossing,  the  muddy  waters  of  the  Missouri,  pouring  in 
from  the  south,  mix  with  the  bright  flood  of  the  Pend 
d'Oreille,  and  the  united  streams  now  take  the  designation 
Clark's  Fork  of  the  Columbia.  This  name  is  retained, 
except  where  the  river  widens  out  into  Lake  Pend  d'Oreille, 
100  miles  westward,  until  the  waters  mingle  with  those  of 
the  Columbia  river,  in  the#British  possessions,  northward. 

Paradise  Valley  and  Horse  Plains.— Two  small  and 
charming  valleys  soon  appear  to  vary  the  fine  mountain 
views.  They  are  Paradise  valley  and  Horse  plains,  both 
celebrated  among  the  Indians  as  wintering  places  for  their 
ponies.  Paradise  valley  is  seven  miles  westward  of  the 
junction  of  the  rivers.  It  is  two  by  four  miles  in  extent, 
and  well  deserves  its  name.  Six  miles  beyond  is  Horse 
plains,  a  circular  prairie,  six  miles  across,  containing  a 
township  of  fertile  land,  situated  in  the  midst  of  very  wild 
scenery.  High  mountains  stand  around,  and  lend  the 
warmth  of  spring,  while  their  own  sides  are  white  with 
.vs.  These  valleys  are  the  only  spots  on  the  immediate 
line  of  the  railroad  for  over  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  that 


210 


/  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana.  201 

invite  cultivation.  The  land  of  Horse  plains  produces 
everything  desirable  in  a  northern  latitude,  under  irri- 
gation;  but  in  some  seasons  irrigation  is  not  needed.  At 
Horse  plains  there  is  a  prosperous  community  of  farmers 
and  stock  men. 

Leaving  Horse  Plains,  and  crossing  Clark's  creek,  with 
Lynches  buttes  visible  to  the  right,  the  railroad  con- 
tinues westward  along  the  right  bank  of  the  river  through 
an  unbroken  mountain  region  which  affords  magnificent 
views  at  every  turn.  The  mountains  tower  on  either  side. 
There  is  no  bench  land,  much  less  any  fertile  bottoms, 
though  sometimes  level  spots  of  a  few  acres  are  heavily 
timbered.  Room  is  not  always  found  for  the  track,  which 
is  often  blasted  out  from  the  points  of  the  hills. 

Thompson's  Falls  (1,357  miles  from  St.  Paul;  popula- 
tion 300)  is  beautifully  located  at  the  falls  of  the  Clark's 
Fork  river,  has  hotels,  livery  stables  and  a  number  of  mer- 
cantile houses.  The  river  furnishes  a  remarkable  water- 
power,  which  has  not  yet  been  utilized. 

Grand  Scenery. — Every  where  along  the  Clark's  Fork 
of  the  Columbia  there  is  magnificent  .scenery.  Cotton- 
wood grows  close  to  the  river,  and  firaand  pines  clothe  the 
benches  and  mountain-sides,  except  where  the  latter  are  so 
nearly  vertical  that  the  forest  cannot  grow.  Magnificent 
vistas  are  presented  as  the  train  moves  along,  changing 
and  wearing  new  forms  at  every  turn.  The  mountains  are 
conical,  and  sometimes  vertical,  as  where  the  river  has  cut 
through  them  with  tremendous  force.  The  constant  suc- 
cession of  towering  hills,  grouped  in  wild  array,  is  never 
wearying,  and  is  sometimes  startling  in  effect,  as  when  some 
tributary  from  the  north  or  south  tears  its  way  to  the 
greater  stream,  and  offers  a  vista,  reaching  far  through  the 
deep-worn    canon    or    ravine,  along  which  the  heights  are 


202  The.  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

ranged  as  far  as  eye  can  see.  One  of  the  most  striking  of 
these  side  effects  is  where  Thompson's  river  comes  in  from 
the  north,  and  you  look  up  the  long  and  sharp  ravine  to 
catch  a  momentary  glimpse,  from  the  tressle  bridge,  of  the 
foaming  waterfall  and  the  heights  that  wall  it  in. 

Views  on  the  Clark's  Fork. — Reaching  the  second 
crossing  of  the  Clark's  Fork,  there  is  seen  a  navigable 
stretch  of  water  that  was  utilized  by  placing  a  small 
steamer  on  it  at  tjie  time  the  railroad  was  under  construc- 
tion. East  of  the  second  crossing,  the  mountains  close  in 
upon  the  view,  often  abruptly.  West  of  it  the  valley 
widens.  There  is  no  land  to  style  it  a  valley;  but  the 
gorge  is  wider  and  the  river  less  turbulent.  The  scenery  has 
the  same  features,  but  in  rather  quieter  lines,  as  the  heights 
do  not  crowd  the  river  so  much.  The  road  is  now  on  the 
south  side  of  the  stream.  West  of  Second  Crossing,  about 
ten  miles,  the  track  follows  a  high  bench,  and  a  view  is 
shown  of  the  river  where  its  waters  have  cut  a  deep  chan- 
nel far  below.  Mountains  on  the  north  s*tand  imminent, 
and  make  a  striking  picture. 

Good  Hunting  and  Fishing — Another  feature  of  this 
mountain  region,  which  is  likely  to  attract  the  attention 
of  lovers  of  sport,  that  abundance  of  game  is  found  among 
all  the  ranges.  There  is  no  other  region  that  can  surpass 
it  for  the  presence  of  wild  and  game  animals,  as  well  as 
birds  and  fish.  Bears  are  very  common;  elk,  caribou  or 
rnoose  haunt  these  mountains,  and  deer  of  various  kinds 
abound.  There  are  many  of  the  fur-bearing  animals,  such 
otter,  beaver  and  mink;  while  grouse,  pheasants,  ducks, 
geese  and  other  fowl  are  plentiful  in  their  season.  The 
waters  abound  in  the  finest  trout  of  several  varieties,  from 
the  little  speckled  beauties  of  the  mountain  rills  to  the 
great  salmon  trout  found  in  the  larger  streams  and  lakes. 


Seven  Hundred  Miles  in  Montana. 


203 


After  coursing  along  the  northern  and  southern  banks 
of  the  Clark's  Fork  of  the  Columbia  for  a  hundred  miles 
the  views  of  mountain   and   forest   sometimes  broadening, 


Along  the  Clark's  Fork. 

etimes  narrowing,  and  the  river  alternately  showing  a 
■ded  reach  of  smooth  water  and  a  stretch  of  tumbling 
breakers,  the  mountains  again   crowd  together  near  Cabi- 
net Landing.     The  stations  are  either  for  the  convenience 


The  Rivers  of  Idaho.  205 

of  railroad  employes  or  for  the  shipment  of  lumber,  and 
in  every  other  aspect  are  at  present  of  not  sufficient  impor- 
tance to  be  described.  At  several  points  on  the  line  the 
track  is  carried  across  lateral  streams  by  massive  trestle 
bridges,  the  one  over  the  deep  gorge  of  Beaver  creek  being 
especially  noticeable  from  its  height  and  graceful  curve. 
These  frequent  bridges,  as  well  as  many  deep  cuttings 
through  the  spurs  of  the  mountains,  attest  the  difficulties 
which  the  engineers  were  required  to  surmount  in  con- 
structing the  line. 

South  of  this  mountain  range,  stretching  nearly  across 
the  State,  is  the  Snake  River  plain,  the  surface  of  which  is 
either  level  or  gently  undulating.  Still  further  south  is  an 
elevated  plateau,  which  merges  in  the  southwest  into  an 
alkaline  desert.  Idaho  is,  on  the  whole,  well  watered.  Its 
principal  stream  is  the  Snake  or  Lewis  Fork  of  the  Colum- 
bia, which,  with  its  many  affluents,  drains  about  five-sixths 
of  the  State.  This  stream,  generally  confined  within 
high  walls  of  basalt,  pursues  a  tortuous  and  tumultuous 
course,  from  its  sources  in  Wyoming,  of  about  t,ooo  miles, 
interrupted  by  many  falls  of  considerable  height.  It  is 
only  navigable  from  a  short  distance  above  Lewiston,  near 
which  city  it  leaves  the  State,  to  its  junction  with  the 
Columbia  river,  at  Ainsworth,  less  than  ioo  miles  distant. 
The  principal  tributaries  of  the  Snake  river  are  the  Salmon, 
the  Boise,  the  Owyhee  and  the  Clearwater,  the  Salmon 
river  draining  the  central  part  of  the  State. 

The  arable  lands  of  Idaho  are  estimated  at  ten  per  cent. 
0<  its  area.  There  is  a  fine  plateau  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  State,  just  north  of  the  Snake  and  Clearwater  livers, 
which  is  an  excellent  grain  country  and  a  good  fruit 
country.  In  the  south  there  are  good  valleys  which  are 
cultivated     by  :,        The  \    lands   of   Idaho 


206  l^he  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

cover  a  great  area,  especially  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
State.  All  the  level  country  of  the  Snake  river  plains 
is  valuable  for  pasturage,  as  well  as  the  mountain  ranges 
to  the  south  and  southeast,  which  are. covered  with  bunch 
grass. 

The  Territory  was  organized  in  1863,  having  been  cut 
off  from  Oregon,  although  a  part  of  it  was  subsequently 
given  to  Montana,  and  the  State  was  admitted  to  the  Union. 
Its  population  by  the  census  of  1890  was  only  85,000  ex- 
clusive of  the  Indians,  who  number  about  5,000.  These 
Indians  consist  of  the  Nez  Perces,  Bannacks  and  Shoshones. 
The  former,  numbering  2,807,  have  a  reservation  ot  1,344,- 
000  acres  on  the  Clearwater,  near  Lewiston,  toward  the 
northern  part  of  the  State.  The  latter  two  tribes,  num- 
bering 1,500,  jointly  occupy  a  reservation  of  18,000  acres 
in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  State,  on  the  Snake  and 
Portneuf  rivers.  There  is  also  a  reservation  near  Lemhi, 
in  the  Salmon  River  mountains,  where  677  Indians  are  re- 
ported as  having  their  homes. 

In  Northern  Idaho  lie  the  Cceur  d'Alene  gold  and  silver 
mines,  reached  by  Northern  Pacific  lines  from  both  Mis- 
soula and  Spokane.  These  mines  are  among  the  most  pro- 
ductive in  the  United  States.  Precious  metals  are  also 
mined  at  various  points  in  the  central  and  southern  parts 
of  the  State. 


ACROSS  THE  PAN  HANDLE  OF  IDAHO. 


The  State  of  Idaho, — The  Northern  Pacific  railroad 
passes  over  a  very  narrow  strip  of  Northern  Idaho — 
scarcely  a  degree  of  longitude — between  the  eastern  end  of 
Lake  Pend  d'Oreille  and  a  point  near  Spokane,  Washing- 
ton. It  is  a  forest  country  all  the  way,  timbered  with 
Rocky  mountain  pine,  commonly  known  as  bull  pine,  until 
the  eastern  edge  of  the  Spokane  plain  is  reached,  beyond 
Rathdrum,  and  near  the  Washington  boundary.  This 
part  of  Idaho  is  called  the  Pan  Handle,  but  a  better  name 
would  be  the  Shank,  for  the  shape  of  the  State  closely 
resembles  that  of  a  leg  of  mutton,  of  which  the  shank  is 
the  northern  part,  extending  to  the  British  Columbia  line. 

Idaho  is  bounded  on  the  east  and  northeast  by  Montana 
and  Wyoming,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  the  winding 
chain  of  the  Bitter  Root  or  Cceur  d'Alene  mountains.  On 
the  south  it  follows  the  forty-second  parallel  along  the  line 
of  Utah  and  Nevada.  On  the  west  lie  Oregon  and  Wash- 
ington, and  on  the  north  the  British  possessions.  Idaho 
is  embraced  between  the  forty-second  and  forty-ninth  par- 
allels of  latitude,  and  between  the  mth  and  117th  merid- 
ians of  longitude,  west  of  Greenwich.  Its  area  is  86,294 
square  miles,  or  55,228,160  acres.  The  northern  part  of 
the  State  is  quite  mountainous,  some  of  the  highest  alti- 
tudes reaching  10,000  feet.  Mountain  and  valley  alike  are 
covered  with  a  dense  growth  of  coniferae.      The  principal 


208  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

ranges  are  the  Bitter  Root  and  the  Salmon  mountains,  the 
latter  traversing  the  central  portion  of  the  State. 

Cabinet  Landing. — At  this  point  the  Clark's  Fork  is 
confined  in  a  rocky  gorge,  through  which  it  dashes  at  tre- 
mendous speed.  The  columnar  rocks  that  hem  in  the 
torrent  are  from  ioo  to  ijo  feet  in  height,  their  brows 
crowned  with  pines,  and  the  romantic  wildness  of  the 
gorge  is  of  surpassing  beauty.  The  bold  fluted  pillars  of 
rock  are  not  unlike  those  of  the  "  Giant's  Causeway"  in 
Ireland.  Cabinet  Landing  derives  its  name,  in  part  at 
least,  from  the  fact  that  here  the  Hudson's  Bay  company, 
in  carrying  up  goods  by  boat  from  -the  foot  of  Lake 
Pend  d'Oreille  to  Horse  plains,  was.  compelled  to  make  a 
portage.  From  Cabinet  Landing  the  train  runs  through 
solid  rock  cuttings,  the  walls  of  which  tower  far  above  the 
rushing,  tumbling  stream  below.  Clark's  Fork,  a  station 
near  the  long  railroad  bridge  over  the  Clark's  Fork,  affords 
some  fine  river  views,  and  ten  miles  further  the  pleasant 
town  of  Hope,  on  the  strand  of  Lake  Pend  d'Oreille,  is 
reached. 

Lake  Pend  d'Oreille. — This  beautiful  lake  may  be  lik- 
ened to  a  broad  and  winding  valley  among  the  mountains, 
filled  to  the  brim  with  gathered  waters.  Reaching  the  lake, 
the  railroad  crosses  the  mouth  of  Pack  river  on  a  trestle 
one  mile  and  a  half  in  length,  and  skirts  the  northern  shore 
for  upward  of  twenty  miles.  The  shores  are  mountains, 
but,  wherever  there  is  a  bit  of  beach,  it  is  covered  with 
dense  forest.  The  view  of  the  lake  from  the  car  windows, 
with  its  beautiful  islands  and  its  arms  reaching  into  the 
surrounding  ranges,  is  superb.  The  waters  stretch  out 
south,  and  fill  a  mountain  cove  to  the  southwest  before 
those  of  the  Clark's  Fork  meet  them.  From  this  point 
the  river  makes  the  lake  its  channel,  and  passes  out  at  the 


Across  the  Pan-Handle  of  Idaho. 


209 


western  end  on  its  flow  northward  to  meet  the  Columbia, 
just  over  the  boundary  line  in  British  Columbia.  The 
whole  length  of  the  lake,  following  its  curves  and  wind- 


Skirting  the  Clark's  Fork. 

3,  must  be  nearly  sixty  miles.     In    places  it  is  fifteen 
milt  nd  in  others  narrows  to  three  miles. 

The  circuit  of  the  lake  shore  is  full  of  surprises.     The 
mountains  are  grouped  with   tine  effect,  and  never  become 


Lake  Pend  d'Oreille,  Idaho. 
210 


Across  the  Pan-Handle  of  Idaho.  211 

monotonous.  Along  the  lake  the  most  prominent  features 
of  civilization  are  the  saw-mills,  which  supplied  material 
for  railroad  construction,  and  are  now  employed  manu- 
facturing lumber  for  shipment.  The  forest  is  interminable; 
but,  where  the  mountains  are  abrupt,  the  trees  do  not  grow 
large  enough  and  clear  enough  to  make  good  lumber. 
The  benches  and  levels  along  the  streams  are  generally 
thickly  studded  with  giant  pines  or  firs,  and  these  trees 
also  tower  in  the  ravines.  These  spots  of  good  timber  were 
selected  as  sites  for  saw-mills,  and  the  carrying  of  lumber 
is  now  an  important  branch  of  traffic.  The  Northern 
Pacific  road  reaches  its  farthest  northern  limit  at  Pend 
d'Oreille,  and  thence  turns  south  and  west. 

Hope,  Idaho  (1,428  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population, 
500)  is  beautifully  located  on  high  ground  on  the  northern 
shore  of  Lake  Pend  d'Oreille.  It  was  formerly  only  a  fish- 
ing and  hunting  resort,  with  a  small  hotel  for  sportsmen; 
but  the  removal  of  the  Northern  Pacific  division  terminus 
from  Heron  in  1888,  and  the  discovery  of  mines  of  silver  ore 
on  the  south  shore  of  the  lake,  have  caused  considerable 
growth.  Steamers  cross  the  lake  to  the  new  mines,  called 
Chloride  and  Weber.  The  landing  for  the  mines  is  at  the 
mouth  of  Gold  creek,  about  thirty  miles  by  water  from 
Hope.  The  principal  street  of  Hope  is  built  on  a  narrow 
If  on  the  mountain  side  overlooking  the  railroad  and 
the  lake. 

Pack   River   (1,439  miles    from    St.    Paul). — Near  this 

<>n  the  Pack  river  enters  Lake  Pend  d'Oreille,  and 
from  here  an  old  fur-trading  and  mining  trail  leads  to  the 
Kootenai    river,    a   distance    of   about    thirty    miles.     The 

tenai  is  an  eccentric  stream,  running  first  south,  and 
making  a  long  bend,  and  afterward  flowing  due  north  far 
into  British  territory.     The  Kootenai    is   navigable  for  150 


212  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

miles,  for  ioo  miles  of  which  it  expands  into  a  deep,  nar- 
row lake.  Numerous  large  veins  of  galena  silver  ore  are 
found  along  the  shores  of  Kootenai  lake  and  river,  and 
are  the  basis  of  several  important  mining  enterprises.  A 
small  steamer  runs  upon  the  Kootenai. 

Sand  Point  (i,444  miles  from  St.  Paul),  on  the  shore  of 
Lake  Pend  d'Oreille,  is  a  place  of  importance  on  account 
of  its  being  the  point  of  junction  with  the  Great  Northern 
road,  which  gives  access  to  the  Kootenai  valley  and  the 
Flathead  valley  on  the  east,  and  which  runs  down  the 
Clark's  Fork  from  the  lake  for  about  fifty  miles  before 
turning  westward  to  Spokane. 

Cocolalla  ( 1,45 7  miles  frcm  St.  Paul). — This  station 
derives  its  euphonious  Indian  name  from  the  bright  sheet 
of  water  which  lies  near  the  track.  The  lake  is  several 
miles  long,  but  not  wide.  On  approaching  it,  a  charming 
view  of  wave,  wood  and  mountain  will  be  caught.  But  we 
are  passing  out  of  Wonderland.  Mountains  no  longer 
seem  to  overtop  us.  The  train  sweeps  on  toward  the 
southwest,  following  a  natural  pass  between  the  ranges, 
presently  entering  a  valley  a  few  miles  wide. 

Rathdrum  (1,485  miles  from  St.  Paul)  is  a  small  town 
situated  on  the  northeastern  verge  of  the  great  Spokane 
plain,  has  a  population  of  300.  There  is  considerable  good 
farming  land  near  by,  much  valuable  timber,  and  some 
excellent  range  for  stock. 

Hauser  Junction  (1,492  miles  from  St.  Paul)  is  the 
point  of  the  divergence  of  the  Spokane  Falls  &  Idaho  rail- 
road, which  runs  to  Cceur  d'Alene  City  on  the  lake  of  the 
same  name,  sixteen  miles  distant,  there  connecting  with 
steamers  on  the  lake  and  river  to  Mission,  from  whence 
there  is  a  railroad  to  the  Cceur  d'Alene  mining  towns. 
Noble  views   of  the  Cceur  d'Alene  mountains  which  sur- 


214 


The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 


round  the  lake,  may  be  enjoying  it  from  the  car  windows 
as  the  train  crosses  the  plains  between  Rathdrum  and 
Spokane. 


fcjjj  SbMB        >^ 

v  vv.  '1 

■  4^'   ggg 

HKs^ 

FIVE    HUNDRED     AND     TWENTY-FIVE 
MILES  THROUGH  WASHINGTON. 


The  Evergreen  State. — The  main  line  of  the  Northern 
Pacific  runs  for  525  miles  in  the  State  of  Washington, 
entering  rt  on  the  Spokane  plain,  near  the  crossing  of  the 
Spokane  river,  and  leaving  it  at  Kalama,  where  the  trains 
are  ferried  over  the  Columbia  river  on  their  way  to  Port- 
land, Oregon. 

Washington  is  called  the  "  Evergreen  State"  from  its 
extensive  forests  of  evergreen  trees,  and  also  from  the  fact 
that  in  the  western  part  the  winters  are  so  mild  that  the 
grass  remains  green  throughout  the  year.  In  situation  it 
is  the  most  northwestern  of  the  States  of  the  Union,  being 
bounded  by  British  Columbia  on  the  north  and  the  Pacific 
ocean  on  the  west,  while  its  southern  line  rests  upon  Oregon 
and  its  eastern  line  upon  Idaho.  Its  length  from  east  to 
west  is  about  360  miles  and  its  width  from  north  to  south 
240  miles.  Its  area  is  69,994  square  miles,  of  which  3,114 
are  water,  leaving  66,880  square  miles  of  land  or  42,803,200 
acres,  about  equal  to  the  area  of  Ohio  and  Indiana  com- 
bined. Washington  Territory  was  organized  in  1853,  and 
at  that  time  included  much  that  is  now  Idaho.  Its  admis- 
sion to  tin:  Union  was  provided  for  by  the  act  of  Congress 
-ed  in  the  winter  of  1889.  Its  present  population  is  not 
less  than  500,000. 


216  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

The  Cascade  mountains,  a  broad  volcanic  plateau,  with 
many  lofty,  snow-clad  peaks,  rising  high  above  the  general 
level,  divide  both  Washington  and  Oregon  into  two  un- 
equal parts,  which  differ  widely  in  surface,  climate  and 
vegetation.  Westward  of  this  mountain  chain,  from  forty 
to  seventy  miles,  is  still  another  and  lower  range,  lying 
along  the  ocean  shore,  known  as  the  Coast  mountains  in 
Oregon  and  the  Olympic  range  in  Washington. 

Between  these  two  mountain  ranges  spreads  out  the 
basin  of  Puget  Sound,  and  the  valleys  of  the  Cowlitz, 
Chehalis,  and  other  rivers.  The  entire  region  west  of  the 
Cascade  mountains,  including  the  slopes  of  these  eleva- 
tions, is  covered  with  dense  forests,  mainly  of  coniferae, 
which  constitute  a  large  source  of  wealth. 

The  climate  of  this  section  is  mild  and  equable,  with 
slight  ranges  of  temperature,  showing  a  mean  deviation  of 
only  28°  during  the  year,  the  summer  averaging  700,  and 
the  winter  380.  There  is  an  abundant  rainfall,  and  the 
wet  and  dry-seasons  are  well  marked.  The  rains  are  more 
copious  in  December,  January  and  March  than  at  any 
other  time.  But  the  rain  falls  in  showers  rather  than  con- 
tinuously, with  many  intervals  of  bright,  agreeable 
weather,  which  often  last  for  days  together.  Snow  rarely 
falls  in  great  quantities,  and  it  soon  disappears  under  the 
influence  of  the  humid  atmosphere.  During  the  dry  sea- 
son the  weather  is  delightful.  There  are  showers  from 
time  to  time;  but  the  face  of  the  country  is  kept  fresh  and 
verdant  by  the  dews  at  night,  and  occasional  fogs  in  the 
morning.  The  soil  of  the  valleys  of  Western  Washington 
is  generally  a  dark  loam,  with  clay  subsoil,  and  in  the 
bottom  lands  near  the  water-courses  are  rich  deposits  of 
alluvium.  These  soils  are  of  wonderful  productive  capa- 
city, yielding  large  crops  of  hay,  hops,  grain,  fruits  and 
vegetables. 


Through    Washington,  217 

The  area  east  of  the  Cascade  mountains,  by  far  the  larger 
portion  of  Washington,  presents  features  in  marked  con- 
trast to  those  which  have  been  already  outlined.  This  is 
not  only  true  of  the  climate,  but  also  of  the  soil  and  topog- 
raphy, fully  warranting  the  popular  division  of  the 
country  into  two  sections,  known  as  the  coast  region 
and  the  inland  region  which  are  essentially  dissimilar  in 
aspect. 

The  area  east  of  the  Cascade  mountains  extends  to  the 
bases  of  the  Blue  and  Bitter  Root  ranges.  A  broad  strip  on 
the  north  is  mountainous  and  covered  with  forest;  but  the 
greater  portion  embraces  the  immense  plains  and  undulat- 
ing prairies,  250  miles  wide  and  nearly  500  miles  long, 
which  constitute  the  great  basin  of  the  Columbia  river. 
Within  the  limits  of  this  basin  are  a  score  of  valleys,  many 
a  one  of  which  is  larger  than  some  European  principali- 
ties, all  of  which  are  well  watered,  and  clothed  with 
nutritious  grass. 

In  the  eastern  section  the  temperature  is  decidedly 
higher  in  summer  and  lower  in  winter  than  in  the  western 
section — the  average  indicating  respectively  85°  and  300. 
The  rainfall  is  only  half  as  heavy;  but  it  has  proved  suffi- 
cient for  cereal  crops.  From  June  to  September  there  is 
no  rain,  the  weather  being  perfect  for  harvesting.  The 
heat  is  great,  but  not  nearly  so  oppressive  as  a  much  lower 
le  would  be  in  the  Eastern  States,  and  the  nights  are 
invariably  cool.  The  winters  are  short,  but  occasionally 
severe.  Snow  seldom  falls  before  Christmas,  and  some- 
times lies  from  four  to  six  weeks,  but  usually  disappears 
in  a  few  days.  The  so-called  "  Chinook,"  a  warm  wind 
Which  blows  periodically  through  the  mountain  passes,  is 
ofgrcit  benefit  to  the  country.  It  comes  from  the  south- 
west across  the  great  thermal    stream  known  as    the  Japan 


Through    Washington.  219 

current,    and    the    warm,     moist    atmosphere    melts    the 
deepest  snow  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours. 

The  soil  is  a  dark  loam,  of  great  depth,  composed  of 
alluvial  deposits  and  decomposed  lava  overlying  a  clay 
subsoil.  The  constituents  of  this  soil  adapt  the  land 
peculiarly  to  the  production  of  wheat. 

Agriculture  is  the  leading  industry,  and  wheat  is  the 
principal  product  of  the  entire  country.  Its  superior 
quality  and  great  weight  have  made  it  famous  in  the  grain 
markets  of  the  world.  The  entire  surplus  of  the  wheat 
crop  is  exported  by  sea  to  Liverpool  and  other  European 
markets,  from  the  shipping  ports  of  Tacoma  and  Portland. 
Oats  and  barley  als  )  yield  heavily.  Hops  are  a  very 
important  product,  and  widely  cultivated  in  the  Puyallup 
and  White  River  valleys  on  Puget  Sound,  and  in  Yakima 
county,  east  of  the  Cascade  mountains.  Vegetables  of 
every  variety,  and  of  the  finest  quality,  are  produced. 
Fruits  of  many  descriptions,  all  of  delicious  aroma  and 
flavor,  grow  to  a  remarkable  size.  Among  them  are 
apples,  pears,  apricots,  quinces,  plums,  prunes,  peaches, 
cherries  and  grapes.  Strawberries,  raspberries,  black- 
berries, gooseberries  and  currents  are  also  abundant. 

An  important  industry  is  the  raising  of  cattle,  sheepand 
horses.  This  is  only  second  to  agriculture,  and  is  pursued 
in  all  parts  of  the  Pacific  Northwest.  The  horses  are  of 
excellent  race,  and  excel  in  speed.  Sheep  husbandry  has 
proved  very  profitable,  especially  among  the  Blue  mountain 
ranges. 

It  would  scarcely  be  possible  to  exaggerate  the  extent 
and  v.iluc  of  the  forests.  East  and  west  of  the  Cascade 
mountains  there  are  large  tracts  of  timber  lands.  The  Blue 
mm:  nd  eastern  slopes  of  the  Cascades  are  thickly 

clothed  with  pin-  ;ni<l  west    of    the   Cascade  moun- 


220  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

tains  there  is  an  inexhaustible  supply.  Perhaps  the  finest 
body  of  timber  in  the  world  is  embraced  in  the  Puget 
Sound  district.  The  principal  growths  are  fir,  pine,  spruce, 
cedar,  larch  and  hemlock,  although  white  oak,  maple, 
cottonwood,  ash,  alder  and  other  varieties  are  found  in  con- 
siderable quantities. 

The  mineral  wealth  of  Washington  is  large  and  diversi- 
fied. Coal  takes  a  foremost  rank  among  the  mineral 
resources  of  the  country.  Immense  beds  of  semi-bitumin- 
ous and  lignite  coal  are  found  west  of  the  Cascade  moun- 
tains, and  also  east  of  those  mountains,  in  the  Upper 
Yakima  valley.  This  mineral  exists  in  Oregon  in  different 
localities;  but  the  coal  fields  of  Washington  are  far  more 
extensive.  The  principal  mines  are  on  the  Puyallup,  Car- 
bon and  other  rivers  flowing  into  Puget  Sound,  near 
Tacoma,  Seattle  and  Whatcom,  and  also  at  the  head  of  the 
Yakima  valley,  at  Roslyn.  Iron  ores — bog,  hematite  and 
magnetic — exist  in  great  masses,  and  are  found  in  both 
Oregon  and  Washington. 

Silver  ore  is  successfully  mined  in  the  Colville  valley, 
about  ioo  miles  north  of  Spokane,  and  also  at  various 
points  in  the  Okanogan  valley  and  on  the  western  slope  of 
the  Cascade  mountains.  Gold  is  obtained  by  washing 
auriferous  earth  on  the  Swauk  and  Te-anaway,  small 
streams  which  flow  into  the  Upper  Yakima.  Gold  quartz 
is  mined  at  Palmer  mountain  in  the  Okanogan  valley. 
Copper  has  been  found  in  the  Peshastin  range  of  moun- 
tains north  of  Ellensburgh.  There  are  also  extensive  iron 
ledges  in  those"  mountains. 

The  waters  of  all  the  rivers  of  Washington  flow  into  the 
Pacific  ocean,  the  largest  of  which,  the  Columbia,  is  navi- 
gable for  a  distance  of  725  miles.  The  Snake  river  comes 
next  in  importance,  and  there  are  many  other  streams  nav- 
igable for  short  distances. 


Through    Washington.  221 

Puget  Sound  is  a  beautiful  archipelago,  covering  an 
area  of  over  2,000  square  miles.  Its  waters  are  everywhere 
deep  and  free  from  shoals,  its  anchorage  secure,  and  it  of- 
fers every  facility  that  a  great  commerce  demands. 

There  are  several  commodious  harbors  for  vessels  on 
the  coast  line,  exclusive  of  those  found  at  the  mouths  of  the 
several  rivers.  At  these  places  a  thriving  trade  is  carried 
on  in  lumbering,  coal  mining,  fishing,  oystering,  dairying 
and  agricultural  products. 

These  waters  abound  in  fish,  of  which  many  varieties 
are  of  great  commercial  value.  Particularly  is  this  the  fact 
with  regard  to  salmon.  Extensive  establishments  for  can- 
ning are  carried  on  at  several  places  on  the  Columbia  river, 
where  the  business  of  salmon  packing  is  the  principal  in- 
dustry. The  far  famed  reputation  which  the  Columbia 
river  fish  has  acquired  secures  it  a  large  market  in  the  East- 
ern States,  and  it  is  sold  extensively  in  Australia,  England 
and  other  European  countries. 

The  remarkable  variety  of  resources  offered  by  this 
great  new  State,  its  peculiarly  agreeable  and  healthful  cli- 
mate, its  strikingly  beautiful  landscapes  of  snow-capped 
mountains,  noble  rivers,  great  estuaries  of  the  sea,  magni- 

nt  forests,  charming  lakes  and  fertile  prairies,  combine 
to  make  it  a  region  particularly  attractive  to  all  who  seek 
new  homes  in  the  great  Northwest.  The  Stat6  is  well  sup- 
plied with  railway  facilities  by  four  transcontinental  lines 
— the  Northern  Pacific,  Union  Pacific,  Great  Northern  and 
Canadian  Pacific. 

Spokane  (1,512  miles  from  St.  Paul),  formerly  called 

Spokane  Falls,  is  the  commercial  capital  of  all  of  Eastern 

hington    and    Northern    Idaho,  its   trade  territory   ex- 

from   the  western  ranges  of  the  Rockies  on  the 

the    Cascade    mountains    on    the    west.     It    is    a 


222  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

remarkable  city  on  account  of  its  rapid  growth,  the 
solidity  of  its  construction  and  the  picturesque  features  of 
its  cataracts  and  river  gorge,  its  mountainous  surroundings 
and  its  handsomely  improved  streets.  The  entire  business 
district  was  burned  in  1890,  but  the  immediate  result  was 
its  rebuilding  in  a  style  of  beauty  and  solidity  not  attained 
by  old  Eastern  cities  in  a  century  of  growth.  The  stately 
business  blocks  of  brick  and  granite  would  do  credit  to  a 
city  of  ten  times  the  size  of  Spokane. 

Spokane  was  named  for  the  river  and  the  falls,  and 
they  bear  the  name  of  a  tribe  of  Indians,  the  Spokanes, 
which  formerly  inhabited  this  region.  The  first  settlement 
was  made  in  the  seventies  by  four  men  who  took  up  claims 
that  cornered  at  the  falls.  All  of  them  became  millionaires 
by  the  enormous  appreciation  of  their  property.  When 
the  Northern  Pacific  reached  the  place  in  1880,  building 
from  the  west,  it  contained  about  300  people.  Its  present 
population  more  than  30,000.  Flour  milling  and  lumber 
sawing  were  the  first  industries,  based  on  the  admirable 
water  power  of  the  numerous  falls.  As  the  agricultural 
lands  on  the  south  and  west  attracted  population  the 
town  became  a  center  of  mercantile  trade,  which  was 
greatly  extended  after  the  discovery  of  precious  metals  in 
the  mountains  on  the  east  and  north.  The  building  of 
branch  roads  and  a  second  transcontinental  line  confirmed 
and  strengthened  its  position  for  general  business  and  the 
further  improvement  of  the  water  power  attracted  numerous 
manufacturing  enterprises.  The  railway  facilities  comprise 
the  main  line  of  the  Northern  Pacific,  three  branches  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  running  east  to  the  Coeur  d'Alene  country, 
south  to  the  rich  Palouse  farming  country,  and  west  to  the 
farming  regions  of  the  Big  Bend  country  ;  the  main  line  of 
the   Great   Northern,   one  of  the  branches  of  the  Union 


Through    Washington.  223 

Pacific  and  the  line  of  the  Spokane  and  Northern.  These 
various  roads  make  of  Spokane  much  the  most  important 
railway  center  in  the  Pacific  Northwest. 

Spokane  has  numerous  electric  roads  and  a  cable 
road  climbing  the  steep  hills  south  of  the  town.  It  has  a 
Methodist  college,  a  Catholic  college  and  an  excellent 
public  school  system,  with  a  high  school  building  of  con- 
spicuous dimensions  and  handsome  architecture.  The 
electric  lights  and  electric  cars  are  run  with  power  gener- 
ated at  the  falls.  The  leading  hotel  is  "  The  Spokane." 
Four  bridges  span  the  river.  The  surroundings  of  the 
city  are  exceedingly  picturesque,  and  there  are  many 
beautiful  drives  along  the  banks  of  the  Spokane  river  and 
Hangman's  creek,  and  across  the  beautiful  flowery  prairies 
north  and  east  of  the  city. 

The  falls,  seen  when  melting  snows  swell  the  flow  and 
the  banks  are  brimming  with  the  hurrying  flood,  are  a 
sight  never  to  be  forgotten.  Basaltic  islands  divide  the 
broad  river,  and  the  waters  rush  in  swift  rapids  to  meet 
these  obstructions.  A  public  bridge  crosses  from  island 
to  island.  The  width  of  the  river  is  nearly  half  a  mile. 
There  are  three  great  streams  curving  toward  each  other, 
and  pouring  their  floods  into  a  common  basin.  Reunited, 
the  waters  foam  and  toss  for  a  few  hundred  yards  in 
whirling  rapids,  and  then  make  another  plunge  into  the 
canyon  beyond.  Standing  on  the  rocky  ledge  below  the 
second  waterfall,  and  looking  up  the  stream,  a  fine  view 
is  obtained  of  the  wonderful  display  of  force.  All  things 
are  weak  and  trivial  compared  with  the  tremendous  tor- 
rent that  heaves  and  plunges  below,  and  the  grand  cas- 
cades that  foam  and  toss  above.  Eternal  mist  rises  from 
the  boiling  abyss,  and  sunshine  reveals  a  bow  of  promise 
spanning  the  chasm. 


224  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

The  Spokane  Valley  and  Lake  Coeur  d' Alene. — One 

of  the  most  singular  districts  of  this  country  is  the 
Spokane  valley.  It  is  thirty  miles  long,  and  three  to  six 
miles  in  width,  surrounded  by  the  western  ranges  of  the 
lower  Cceur  d'Alene  or  Bitter  Root  mountains.  The 
river  rises  in  Cceur  d'Alene  lake,  close  under  the  timbered 
mountains,  in  Idaho,  about  ten  miles  south  of  the  railroad. 
The  lake  extends  south  at  least  forty  miles  and  has 
long  arms  reaching  in  among  the  mountains.  A  rich  agri- 
cultural region  lies  close  to  it  on  the  west.  The  rivers 
that  drain  the  western  water-shed  of  the  Cceur  d'Alene 
mountains  pour  immense  volumes  into  the  lake;  but  the 
Spokane  river,  the  lake's  only  outlet,  is  comparatively 
small  in  size,  with  no  tributaries  of  importance.  Still, 
thirty  miles  below  the  lake,  this  stream  becomes  a  great 
roaring  cataract  at  the  city  of  Spokane.  The  theory  is 
advanced  that  the  region  around  the  lake  and  all  the 
upper  Spokane  valley  consists  of  a  deep  gravel  deposit. 
Time  has  made  for  the  lake  a  water-tight  bottom,  and  a 
well,  dug  within  a  rod  of  its  shores,  will  not  furnish  water, 
and  no  well  can  be  dug  in  all  the  Spokane  valley.  The 
water  furnished  by  the  mountains  soaks  through  this 
immense  bed  of  gravel,  making  Spokane  river,  in  its  upper 
reaches,  so  puny  a  stream.  'Eight  miles  below  the  lake 
are  the  Post  Falls,  where  the  river  flows  between  rocks 
very  close  together.  Thirty  miles  below  the  gravel  deposit 
ends  and  basaltic  shores  close  in  upon  the  stream.  Grad- 
ually, as  the  lower  valley  is  reached,  the  river  is  increased 
in  volume  as  the  flow  is  forced  to  the  surface,  and,  at  the 
falls,  it  is  all  gathered  well  in  hand,  and  makes  a  tremen- 
dous leap,  with  a  force  far  greater  than  would  be  believed 
after  seeing  Post  Falls. 


Through    J  Fashing  ton.  225 

The  Palouse  Country, — Tourists  and  others  who 
wish  to  see  one  of  the  best  farming  regions  in  the  world 
should  leave  the  main  line  at  Spokane  and  take  a  train  on 
the  Spokane  &  Palouse  road  through  the  Palouse  country, 
stopping  at  Palouse,  Pullman  and  Moscow,  Nothing  can 
be  seen  of  this  region  from  the  main  line,  and  the  traveler 
who  does  not  visit  it  will  get  a  very  inadequate  idea  of  the 
agricultural  resources  of  Washington. 

The  name  Palouse  country  is  applied  to  the  region 
drained  by  the  Palouse  river  and  its  feeders.  It  begins 
about  ten  miles  south  of  Spokane  and  stretches  southward 
to  the  Snake  river,  which  runs  through  a  deep  canon  and 
receives  no  drainage  to  mention  from  the  country  north  of 
it.  In  fact,  the  Palouse  drains  the  rolling,  high  plateau 
almost  up  to  the  brink  of  the  precipice  at  the  bottom  of 
which  flows  the  mighty  Snake.  The  Palouse  heads  in  the 
Cceur  d'Alene  mountains,  and  so  do  all  the  creeks  that  feed 
it.  It  has  a  course  of  about  150  miles.  Its  two  main 
branches  join  at  Colfax.  Soon  after  it  has  collected  all  its 
waters  it  leaves  the  fertile  country  and  comes  out  into  the 
hot,  dry,  bunch  grass  plains.  Then  it  tumbles  down  three 
hundred  feet  by  a  sheer  descent  into  a  crevice  in  the  vol- 
canic rock  and  soon  after  joins  the  Snake.  The  Palouse 
country  means  the  fertile  belt  between  the  mountains  on 
the  east  and  the  arid  plains  on  the  west,  and  between  the 
forests  that  envelope  the  Spokane  plain  on  the  north  and 
the  canon  of  Snake  river  on  the  south.      Using  round  num- 

we  may  outline  it  as  one  hundred  miles  long  and  thirty 
mil-  There  is  no  perceptible  line  of  demarkation 

<:rn  the  fertile  country  and  the  desert.  One  merges 
gradually  into  the  other.  The  nearer  the  mountains  the 
inure  rainfall;  tin-  further  from  the  mou ntains  the  less  rain- 
fall, is  ti  vou  go  westward  you  descend  steadily 


226  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

from  an  altitude  of  2,800  feet,  and  as  you  descend  the  sum- 
mer heats  increase  and  the  precipitation  diminishes.  The 
heads  of  grain  are  smaller  and  the  stalks  more  slender  and 
sparse.  Finally  the  farms  give  way  to  stock  ranches. 
Before  you  reach  the  falls  of  the  Palouse  you  are  in  the 
great  hot,  dry  basin  that  lies  between  the  Columbia  and  the 
Snake. 

The  suface  of  the  Palouse  country  is  a  succession  of 
hills  and  ridges,  covered  with  grass  and  wild  sunflowers  and 
lupins."*  The  soil  is  a  decomposed  basalt,  very  rich  in  the 
ingredients  that  go  to  the  making  of  all  the  small  grains. 
Curiously  enough,  the  hill  slopes  and  summits  have  not 
been  washed  of  their  fertility  for  the  benefit  of  the  valleys. 
On  the  contrary  they  are  just  as  rich  as  the  depressions  be- 
tween them.  The  region  is  very  young,  geologically  speak- 
ing, which  may  account  for  this  circumstance.  The  granite 
has  been  overflowed  by  successive  floods  of  lava,  and  the 
different  layers  of  basalt  thus  formed  can  be  clearly  distin- 
guished from  each  other  in  the  outcroppings  along  the 
valleys  of  the  streams  and  in  the  canons  of  the  Snake  and 
Palouse.  There  is  no  timber  except  a  few  scattering  pines 
on  the  hill  slopes  along  the  creeks,  until  you  get  back  to 
the  foot-hills  of  the  mountains,  which  are  covered  with 
Rocky  mountain  pine,  fir  and  tamarack. 

The  climate  is  as  agreeable  and  healthful,  taking  the 
year  round,  as  can  be  found  anywhere  in  the  United  States. 
A  short /Winter  with  moderate  snowfall  is  followed  by  an 
early  spring,  beginning  usually  in  February.  In  March 
the  flowers  are  blooming  and  the  plows  going.  There  are 
usually  three  or  four  short  hot  spells  in  summer,  but  in 
those  spells  the  nights  are  cool  enough  to  make  blankets 
requisite  and  the  rest  of  the  summer  is  breezy  and  comfort- 
able.      In  the  hottest  days  you  do  not  feel  the  heat  if  you 


Through    Washington.  227 

are  in  the  shade.  It  appears  that  only  the  sun's  rays  are 
hot  and  that  the  air  does  not  get  heated  up  after  the  cool- 
ness of  the  night. 

The  melting  snows  and  the  June  rains  make  the  crops. 
After  June  no  rain  is  expected  until  October.  The  farmer 
threshes  his  grain  at  his  leisure  and  leaves  the  sacks  in  the 
field  until  he  is  ready  to  haul  them  to  the  railroad.  Then, 
when  the  shipping  season  is  at  its  height,  the  warehouses 
will  not  hold  half  the  grain,  and  the  sacks  are  piled  high 
on  the  open  platforms  around  the  stations.  In  September 
and  October,  columns  of  dust  arising  from  the  roads  show 
where  the  four  and  six  horse  teams  are  on  their  way  to  the 
stations  with  their  loads  of  grain.  The  dust  is  the  only 
drawback  to  this  wonderful  farming  country.  But  as  it 
necessarily  goes  with  a  rich  and  easily  tilled  soil,  the  people 
put  up  with  it  without  grumbling.  The  autumns  are  the 
crown  of  the  year — cool,  perfect  days  and  nights,  with  a 
touch  of  frost.  Much  might  be  wrjtten  about  the  remark- 
able grain  crops  of  this  region,  but  the  story  would  repeat 
itself  over  and  over  again  in  its  accounts  of  reported  yields 
of  wheat,  barley  and  oats,  on  the  same  lands,  year  after 
year,  with  never  less  than  twenty-five  bushels  of  wheat  to 
the  acre  and  frequent  crops  of  forty,  fifty  and  even  sixty 
bushels.  If  the  land  is  allowed  to  lie  idle  after  harvest  it 
volunteers  a  crop  the  second  year  that  would  make  a  Min- 
nesota farmer  rejoice.  Volunteer  crops  of  twenty  bushels 
to  the  acre  are  not  remarkable.  A  favorite  wheat  is  the 
"little  club,"  which  has  a  stout  stalk  of  moderate  length, 
and  a  short,  chubby  head.  Its  growth  is  so  even  that  the 
header  is  the  popular  reaping  machine.  Its  knives  are  set 
to  correspond  with  the  growth  of  the  grain  in  the  field 
which  it  is  to  cut,  and  then,  pushed  before  four  horses,  it 
clip-  td  deposits  them  in  the  bin  of  a  wagon 


228  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

following  beside  it.  Binders  are  growing  in  favor,  but 
probably  three-fourths  of  the  farmers  prefer  the  header, 
because  it  will  cut  a  good  deal  more  in  a  day  and  puts  them 
to  no  expense  for  twine. 

Marshall  (',522  miles  from  St.  Paul)  is  the  diverging 
point  of  the  road  to  the  Palouse  country,  but  the  trains 
are  made  up  in  Spokane.  The  fertile  region  begins  about 
five  miles  distant,  beyond  the  forest  belt  through  which  the 
main  line  runs. 

Cheney  (1,529  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  1,500.) 
— This  is  an  important  wheat-shipping  point,  in  the 
midst  of  a  rich  farming  country,  and  is  the  station  where 
the  Central  Washington  branch  diverges,  which  runs  west- 
ward through  the  Big  Bend  country  to  Coulee  City,  108 
miles.  The  agricultural  country  tributary  to  Cheney  con- 
sists of  rolling  and  hilly  plains,  with  a  rich  soil,  highly  pro- 
ductive of  wheat,  oats,  barley,  rye  and  potatoes.  In  its 
natural  condition  the  surface  of  this  region  is  covered  with 
a  flourishing  growth  of  bunch  grass,  which  affords  excel- 
lent pasturage  for  stock.  Cheney  has  an  attractive  situa- 
tion in  the  midst  of  a  grove  of  pine  trees  and  on  the  bor- 
ders of  the  prairie  country.  From  the  high  ground  north 
of  the  town  there  is  a  superb  view  southward  over  more 
than  fifty  miles  of  rolling  prairie  country  to  Steptoe  butte, 
a  conspicuous  elevation  on  the  southern  horizon. 

Sprague  (1,554  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  1,500) 
is  the  county  seat  of  Lincoln  county,  and  headquarters  for 
the  Idaho  division  of  the  Northern  Pacific  railroad,  and 
the  location  of  the  division  shops.  The  shops  include  a 
car  shop,  a  machine  shop  and  a  round-house,  and  employ 
a  large  number  of  workmen  in  car  building,  repairing  loco- 
motives, etc. 

A  singular  fact  in  relation  to  all  this  upper  country  is, 


Through    Washington.  229 

that  the  railroad  for  hundreds  of  miles  either  way  follows 
the  banks  of  rivers  or  the  dry  beds  of  old  water-courses. 
The  traveler  does  not  see  any  good,  arable  land  as  he  jour- 
neys through  it.  At  Sprague,  looking  eastward,  there  is  a 
range  of  purple  hills  a  few  miles  distant  that  are  the  west- 
ern boundary  of  the  fertile  Palouse  country.  The  level 
land  between  these  heights  and  the  railroad  is  rocky,  with 
frequent  ponds,  and  Lake  Colville,  two  miles  west  of 
Sprague,  lies  along  the  road  for  eight  miles. 

The  old  water-courses  are  called  coulees.  The  road  fol- 
lows them,  from  the  time  it  leaves  Spokane  until  it 
reaches  the  Columbia  river  at  Pasco,  for  ioo  miles.  Tim- 
ber is  abundant  east  of  Sprague,  but  not  a  tree  is  afterward 
seen  before  the  Columbia  river  is  sighted,  over  ioo  miles 
beyond.  The  coulees  are  rocky  and  desolate.  There  are 
stations  all  along,  every  few  miles,  and  the  company  has 
planted  shade  trees  at  each  of  them,  to  show  that,  desert  as 
this  region  appears,  it  only  needs  water  and  care  to  make 
the  land  productive. 

Ritzville  (1,577  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  700) 
is  the  county  seat  of  Adams  county,  and  a  point  of  departure 
for  the  agricultural  and  stock-raising  country  of  Crab  creek, 
north  of  the  railroad,  and  in  the  Big  Bend  of  the  Columbia. 
It  has  a  newspaper,  two  hotels,  and  a  number  of  stores. 
Beyond  Ritzville  the  country  traversed  by  the  railroad  is 
mainly  too  dry  for  agriculture,  but  is  covered  with  bunch- 
grass,  and  is  valuable  for  stock-raising. 

Connell  (1,623  miles  from  St.  Paul)  is  in  the  midst  of  a 
dry,  unsettled  country,  and  is  important  only  as  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Columbia  &  Palouse  railroad  running  eastward, 
eighty  miles,  to  Colfax,  the  county  seat  of  Whitman 
county,  whence  it  diverges  into  two  blanches,  one  running 
to  Moscow,  Idaho,  and  the  other  to  Farmington,  Washing- 
ton.     It  is  a  branch  of  the  Union  Pacific  system. 


230 


Through    II  'ashing  ton,  23 1 

Pasco  (1.65s  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population  500)  was 
so  named  from  the  fact  that  the  Northern  Pacific  passes 
over  the  Columbia  river  about  two  miles  from  the  town,  the 
word  having  been  ingeniously  coined  by  the  engineers  who 
constructed  the  line  westward.  Pasco  is  an  important 
junction  point  for  travel  to  and  from  the  Walla  Walla 
country,  and  to  points  on  the  Columbia  river.  The 
ihern  Pacific  has  a  branch  crossing  the  Snake  river  on 
a  huge  steel  bridge  and  running  on  to  Wallula,  17  miles 
distant,  where  it  connects  with  a  line  of  the  Union  Pacific 
running  west  down  the  river  to  Portland  and  east  to  the 
numerous  towns  in  the  Walla  Walla  country.  An  independ- 
ent road  called  the  Washington  &  Columbia  River  rail- 
way connects  at  Pasco  and  runs  trains  to  Pendleton  on  one 
line,  and  to  Walla  Walla,  Dayton,  Waitsburg,  and  other 
points  in  the  fertile  country  south  of  Snake  river  by  another. 

West  of  the  Columbia.  —The  Cascade  division  of 
the  Northern  Pacific  is  the  most  recently  constructed  of  all 
the  divisions  of  the  main  line.      It  was   mainly  built  in  the 

rs  1885,  1886  and  1887,  and  the  great  tunnel  under  the 

ade    mountains    was    completed  in   June,    1888.     The 

road  crosses  -the  Columbia   river  between  Pasco  and  Ken- 

.  ick   on    a    combination    iron    and  wood   bridge,   which 

lis  the  broad,  blue  flood  of  this  mighty  stream  just 
about  the  mouth  of  its  principal  affluent,  the  Snake  river, 
and  follows  the  valley  of  the  Yakima  river,  which  empties 
into  the  Columbia  a  few  miles  above  Kennewick,  all  the  way 
up  to  the  source  of  the  former  stream  in  the  Cascade  moun- 
tains. Along  the  lower  Yakima  the  country  is  dry  and 
covered  with  sage-brush  where  not  cultivated,  but  the  soil 
:  Irrigating-ditcli  enterpri  ast  converting 

the  entire  region  into  a  thickly  settled  farming  country. 
The  beneficial  effects  of  irrigation  are  seen  as  soon  as  the 


232  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

western  bank  of  the  Columbia  is  reached,  and  may  be 
observed  at  almost  every  mile  of  progress  up-the  Yakima 
valley  to  the  foothills  of  the  Cascade  mountains. 

For  about  thirty  miles  the  road  runs  through  the  Simcoe 
Indian  reservation,  which  is  well  settled  and  contains  many 
irrigated  farms  and  large  stretches  of  verdant  pasture  land. 
Mt.  Adams,  one  of  the  highest  snow  peaks  of  the  Cascade 
range,  is  in  plain  sight  from  the  train  while  passing  across 
the  Simcoe  reservation.  This  mountain  is  over  9,000  feet 
high  and  its  base  is  about  fifty  miles  distant  from  the  near- 
est point  on  the  railroad.  Passing  Union  Gap  through  a 
low  mountain  range  the  road  enters  a  well-cultivated  basin, 
where  the  Natchess  and  other  tributaries  of  the  Yakima 
furnish  abundant  water  for  irrigation.  Continuing  north- 
westward, the  road  winds  for  many  miles  through  the  pro- 
found and  picturesque  defiles  of  the  Yakima  canon,  and 
then  emerges  into  the  Kittitas  valley,  which  is  watered  by 
the  Yakima  and  numerous  tributary  streams,  and  is  well 
settled  by  farmers  engaged  in  raising  grain  and  stock. 
Considerable  placer  mining  is  done  on  the  headwaters  of 
the  Tenaway  and  the  Swauk,  two  large  creeks  which  rise 
in  the  Peshastin  mountains.  These  mountains  run  across 
the  head  of  the  Kittitas  valley  and  present  a  magnificent 
spectacle  of  lofty  rocky  peaks  crowned  with  snow,  which 
can  be  enjoyed  from  many  points  on  the  railroad.  The 
highest  of  these  peaks  is  Mt.  Stuart,  which  has  an  altitude 
of  over  12,000  feet.  The  Peshastin  range  is  a  granite  form- 
ation, entirely  different  in  its  geological  character  from  the 
Cascade  mountains,  which  are  basaltic,  and  of  which  it 
seems  to  form  a  spur.  Near  the  base  of  the  Peshastin 
mountains  lies  an  extensive  coal  field.  The  ascent  of  the 
Cascade  mountains  is  made  by  the  Northern  Pacific  road 
up  remarkably  light  grades,   the  heaviest  of  which  does 


234  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

not  exceed  two  feet  to  the  hundred,  or  n6  feet  to  the 
mile. 

Kennewick  (1,621  miles  from  St.  Paul)  is  the  first  station 
west  of  the  river  and  is  situated  on  a  broad,  fertile  plateau, 
recently  irrigated  by  a  canal  brought  from  the  Yakima  at 
a  point  about  twenty-five  miles  distant.  The  town  is  be- 
coming a  center  of  small  farming  and  fruit  raising.  The 
summers  are  long  and  warm,  with  a  great  deal  of  sunshine 
and  hardly  any  rain,  and  the  mellow  soil  is  quickly  respon- 
sive to  water  brought  upon  it  by  ditches,  and  produces 
extraordinarily  rapid  and  perfect  growths  of  fruits,  vege- 
tables, alfalfa,  grass  and  small  grains. 

Prosser  (1,698  miles  from  St.  Paul)  is  a  promising  town 
at  the  falls  of  the  Yakima  river.  These  falls  afford  good 
waterpower  for  mills.  The  most  important  irrigating  canal 
in  the  valley  terminates  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  not 
far  from  the  town,  and  another  important  canal  has  its 
intake  gate  on  the  river  below  the  town.  Prosser  is  the 
point  of  departure  from  the  railroad  to  an  extensive  graz- 
ing and  farming  region,  called  "  The  Horse  Heaven  coun- 
try," which  lies  just  south  of  the  low  range  of  grassy 
mountains  that  rise  immediately  back  of  the  town. 

The  Sunnyside  Irrigated  Lands.— After  leaving 
Mabton,  westward  bound,  a  heavy  belt  of  forest  to  the 
northward  outlines  the  course  of  the  Yakima  river.  Beyond 
and  extending  along  the  river  for  thirty  miles  is  the  rich 
'*  Sunnyside  "  country  recently  brought  under  cultivation 
by  the  Northern  Pacific,  Yakima  &  Kittitas  Irrigation 
company,  the  largest  completed  enterprise  of  its  kind  in 
the  State  of  Washington.  This  canal  is  so  mammoth  in 
its  proportions  that  a  small  steamboat  could  navigate  its 
waters,  which  have  reclaimed  the  plain,  and  are  turning  it 
into  a  richly  cultivated  and  densely  settled  community; 
for  here  the  profits  of  agriculture  are  so  certain  and  large 


Through    Washington.  235 

that  twenty  acres  is  a  large  farm  and  "  ten  acres  is 
enough."  Thus,  the  isolation  incidental  to  large  Eastern 
farms  is  obviated  and  the  entire  64,000  acres  watered  by 
the  canal  is  already  becoming  a  vast  village  of  prosperous, 
progressive  farmers,  who,  while  securing  the  benefits  of  a 
new  country,  will  enjoy  all  the  advantages  of  schools, 
societies,  etc.,  incidental  to  the  more  densely  settled  com- 
munities of  the  Eastern  States.  The  apparently  sterile 
sage-brush  plain,  tenanted  by  roving  bands  of  cattle,  is 
now  changed  by  water's  magic  wand  into  a  grand  oasis  of 
hop,  fruit  and  grain  fields  interspersed  with  alfalfa,  timothy 
and  clover  meadows.  The  soil  and  climate  are  found 
especially  congenial  to  the  hop  industry,  many  farmers 
already  having  from  five  to  twenty  acres  in  hop  yards 
which  yield  from  one  thousand  to  two  thousand  five  hun- 
dred pounds  per  acre,  depending  upon  the  age  of  the  yard. 
The  season  of  picking,  drying  and  baling  profitably  Cm- 
ploys  hundreds  of  men,  women  and  children,  who  make  a 
holiday  of  the  task.  No  failure  has  been  known,  and  the 
product  shipped  to  London  and  New  York  brings  a  price 
which  nets  a  profit  of  from  $75  to  $200  per  acre  to  the 
fortunate  owner.  The  soil,  a  decomposed  basalt,  is  free 
from  stones  and  so  uniformly  rich  in  quality  for  a  depth 
of  from  fifty-five  to  eighty-five  feet,  that  it  is  conjectured 
by  scientists  to  be  the  sediment  deposited  by  a  lake  which 
in  prehistoric  times  covered  the  entire  Columbia  basin. 
This  rich,  mellow  loam  is  suited  to  fruit  raising  quite  as 
well  as  for  the  hop.  The  upper  and  older  part  of  the 
mnyside"  is  already  occupied  by  prune,  peach,  apple 
and  pear  orchards  amounting  in  the  aggregate  to  several 
thousand  acres  now  in  full  bearing,  while  in  the  newer 
sections,  recently  brought  under  the  canal,  the  numer 
young  orchards    set   out   within    the   year  have    made    a 


236  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

growth  of  from  five  to  eight  feet,  so  long  and  congenial 
are  the  summers  for  plant  growth.  Here  the  farmer  is 
his  own  rainmaker,  and  the  certainty,  variety  and  produc- 
tiveness of  the  crops  grown  are  in  strong  contrast  to 
Eastern  farming  conditions. 

Zillah,  a  thriving  village  recently  started,  is  three  miles 
from  Toppenish,  the  nearest  station  on  the  railroad,  on 
the  northern  bank  of  the  Yakima  river,  which  here  culmi- 
nates in  majestic  bluffs  eighty-five  feet  in  height.  The 
headquarters  of  the  canal  company  are  at  this  place,  and, 
in  order  to  view  the  fruit  and  hop  lands,  which,  though  so 
near  the  railway,  are  not  in  sight,  the  stage  should  be 
taken  from  Toppenish  to  Zillah,  and  from  thence  the  trans- 
formation from  the  range  to  thickly  settled  garden,  fruit 
and  hop  lands  can  be  observed.  Another  point,  Mayhew, 
fifteen  miles  east  of  Zillah,  is  divided  into  fruit  lots  of  one, 
two  and  five-acre  lots,  with  wide  streets,  down  which  flow 
streams  of  clear  water  from  the  main  canal  between  the  side- 
walks and  roadway.  An  area  of  land  four  times  as  large  as 
at  Pasadena  surrounds  Mayhew,  which,  in  consequence,  will 
become  an  important  fruit  producing  point.  Mayhew  is 
seven  miles  from  Mabton,  the  nearest  railroad  station. 
Here  the  main  canal  courses  along  the  slopes  of  a  low 
range  of  mountains  covered  with  bunch-grass  to  their  sum- 
mits and  furrowed  by  ravines  down  which  course  streams 
of  spring  water.  Settlement  is  rapid  here,  and  many  of 
the  ten  and  twenty-acre  farms  are  already  in  a  high  state 
of  cultivation. 

The  Yakima  Basin. — This  is  a  highly  fertile  region, 
enclosed  by  low  ranges  of  mountains  which  are  covered 
with  bunch-grass  to  their  summits.  It  is  watered  by  the 
Yakima  and  by  its  tributaries,  the  Nachess,  Cowychee 
and  the  Attanum.     The   three  smaller  streams  are  fed  bv 


Through    Washington.  237 

springs  and  melting  snows  in  the  Cascade  mountains,  and 
carry  the  largest  volume  of  water  during  the  hot  season. 
They  furnish  abundant  water  for  irrigation  purposes  to 
the  lands  along  their  banks.  West  of  the  Yakima  river 
the  basin  extends  for  a  distance  of  about  twenty  miles, 
and  a  large  part  of  it  is  irrigated  by  a  big  ditch  taken 
from  the  Yakima.  This  district  is  known  as  the  u  Moxee 
Country/'  The  Yakima  basin,  like  the  lower  Yakima 
valley,  greatly  resembles  many  of  the  California  valleys. 
The  winters  are  short  and  mild,  and  the  summers  long 
and  sunny.  The  soil  produces,  under  an  inexpensive 
system  of  irrigation,  very  heavy  yields  of  hops,  wheat, 
oats,  barley,  Indian  corn,  millet,  clover,  timothy  and 
vegetables  of  all  kinds,  and  all  fruits  of  the  temperate 
zone  grow  to  perfection.  Grapes  are  beginning  to  be 
culivated  for  wine-making  purposes,  and  it  is  believed 
that  the  valley  will  in  time  rival  some  of  the  best  wine 
districts  of  California.  Tobacco  culture  has  been  success- 
fully tried  in  recent  years,  and  a  good  grade  of  tobacco 
is  raised  for  the  manufacture  of  cigars.  The  land  was 
originally  occupied  in  large  farms,  but  is  now  being  cut 
up  into  small  farms  of  from  ten  to  forty  acres  each  for  the 
cultivation  of  fruits,  vegetables,  hops,  tobacco,  etc.  On 
the  neighboring  foothills  and  mountain  ranges  there  is  a 
luxuriant  growth  of  bunch-grass,  and  the  raising  of  cattle, 
sheep,  and  horses  is  a  profitable  industry.  During  open 
winters  stock  feed  upon  the  ranges  without  any  care,  but 
prudent  farmers  put  up  a  small  quantity  of  timothy  or 
alfalfa  hay  for  feed  in  case  of  severe  snow  storms. 

North  Yakima  (1,747  miles  from  St.  Paul  ;  population, 
2,500)  is  the  county  seat  of  Yakima  county  and  the  trade 
center  for  all  the  valleys  embraced  in  the  Yakima  basin.     It 

1  attractive  and  handsome  town  with  good   brick  busi- 


238 


Through    Washington.  239 

ness  blocks  and  well-shaded  streets.  In  each  street,  be- 
tween the  sidewalks  and  the  roadways,  run  streams  of  clear 
water  from  which  little  ditches  lead  to  the  lawns  and  gar- 
dens. Travelers  who  desire  to  see  irrigation  farming  on 
a  large  scale,  are  advised  to  visit  the  Moxee  farm,  just  west 
of  the  Yakima  river,  about  £pur  miles  distant  from  the 
town.  This  farm  embraces  about  2,000  acres  under  ditch 
and  cultivation,  and  with  an  extensive  stock  range  of 
many  thousand  acres.  It  is  owned  by  a  company  in  which 
Gardner  Hubbard,  of  the  Bell  Telephone  company,  is  the 
principal  stockholder.  Irrigation  is  carried  on  by  both  the 
flooding  and  small-ditch  systems.  Tobacco,  hops,  wheat, 
oats,  corn,  barley  are  the  principal  crops. 

The  Yakima  Canyon. — After  leaving  North  Yakima 
the  railroad  runs  through  a  gap  in  a  low  mountain  range, 
passes  the  outlet  of  the  Wenass  valley,  another  strip  of 
agricultural  lands  along  the  Wenass  river,  and  then  enters 
the  Yakima  canyon,  a  profound  gorge  in  the  Umptanum 
mountains.  The  scenery  in  this  canyon  is  peculiar  and  im- 
pressive. Some  washing  for  gold  is  done  by  Chinamen 
along  the  banks  of  the  river.  The  railroad  emerges  from 
the  canyon  into  the  great  Kittitas  basin. 

The  Kittitas  Basin. — This  is  the  largest  in  extent  of 
the  fertile  valleys  traversed  by  the  Yakima  river.  It  is 
about  20  miles  long,  with  an  average  width  of  ten  miles,  and 
can  all  be  seen  from  the  railway  platform  at  Kllensburg.  It 
is  bounded  on  the  west  by  the  Cascade  mountains,  above 
whose  green  heads  can  be  seen  the  white  top  of  the  great 
snov  Mt.    Tacoma.       On    the    north    the    basin     is 

bounded  by  the  Peshastin  and  Wenatchee  mountains.  The 

aaer  ran^e  is  a  mass  of  rock  and  snow,  and    its    highest 

uart,  has  an  elevation  of  io,coo  feet  above  the 

I  resembles  somewhat  the  famous  Mat  terhorn  of  the 


240  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

Swiss  Alps.  This  region  is  rich  in  mineral  wealth,  con- 
taining coal,  iron,  copper,  gold  and  silver.  The  Wenat- 
chee  mountains  are  timbered  to  their  summits  and 
reach  to  the  Columbia  river.  The  Umptanum  moun- 
tains, which  shut  in  the  basin  on  the  south,  are  about 
3,000  feet  high  and  are  covered  with  bunch-grass.  The 
Kittitas  basin  has  an  altitude  about  800  feet  greater  tfran 
the  Yakima  basin,  and  the  climate  has  more  of  a  moun- 
tain character,  the  nights  being  cool  and  the  summer  days 
not  as  warm.  The  farming  lands  in  the  basin  are  irrigated 
by  ditches  taken  from  creeks  running  into  the  Yakima. 
They  have  a  rich  alluvial  soil  and  produce  heavy  crops  of 
small  grains  and  vegetables.  The  raising  of  horses  and 
cattle  is  the  chief  industry,  and  much  attention  is  paid  to 
blooded  and  grade  stock.  Cattle  are  shipped  to  the  mar- 
kets of  the  cities  on  Puget  Sound  and  in  British  Columbia. 

Ellensburg"  (1,784  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population 
2,500)  is  the  county  seat  of  Kittitas  county,  and  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Cascade  division  of  the  Northern  Pacific 
railroad.  Ellensburg  is  the  trade  center  for  the  entire 
valley,  and  for  the  coal  mining  region  at  the  head  of  the 
valley.  The  business  streets  were  entirely  burned  over  a 
few  years  ago,  but^vere  immediately  rebuilt  with  substan- 
tial brick  structures,  all  of  a  uniform  height  of  two  stories, 
which  gives  the  town  a  remarkably  handsome  appearance. 

Clealum  (1,809  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population  300)  is 
the  junction  of  the  short  branch  road  which  runs  to  the 
Roslyn  coal  mines. 

Roslyn  (1,813  miles  from  St.  Paul  and  4  from  Clealum) 
is  the  terminus  of  the  Roslyn  branch,  and  has  a  population 
of  about  1,600.  It  is  the  most  important  coal-mining  point 
on  the  entire  line  of  the  Northern  Pacific.  The  coal  is  a 
superior  hard,  black  lignite,  and  is  used  for  locomotive  fuel 


Through    Washington,  241 

and  also  for  domestic  fuel  in  all  the  towns  of  Eastern  Wash- 
ington.    About  500  tons  a  day  are  mined. 

Haston  (1,822  miles  from  St.  Paul),  on  the  eastern  side 
of  the  Cascade  mountains,  is  a  small  railroad  town  at  the 
commencement  of  the  mountain  grade. 

The  Great  Tunnel. — The  mountains  are  crossed  at 
Stampede  Pass,  through  the  sharp  comb  of  which  a  tunnel 
almost  two  miles  long  has  been  excavated.  This  tunnel  is 
with  one  exception  the  longest  in  America,  being  surpassed 
only  by  the  Hoosac  tunnel  in  Massachusetts,  which  is 
three  miles  in  length.  The  Hoosac  tunnel  was  excavated 
from  both  ends  and  from  a  central  shaft,  but  the  mountain 
over  the  Cascade  tunnel  was  too  high  to  admit  of  a  shaft, 
and  the  whole  of  the  excavation  was  done  at  the  ends.  In 
view  of  this  fact,  and  also  of  the  wildness  of  the  country^ 
and  the  distance  from  sources  of  supplies,  the  Cascade 
tunnel  may  fairly  be  regarded  as  a  greater  work  of  engi- 
neering than  the  famous  tunnel  under  the  Hoosac  moun- 
tains. During  the  progress  of  the  work  on  the  tunnel  a 
switch  back  line  was  built  over  the  summit  of  the  Stampede 
Pass,  with  maximum  grades  of  290  feet  to  the  mile,  and 
was  successfully  operated  for  over  a  year,  trains  being 
hauled  over  the  mountains  by  decapods  or  ten-wheeled 
engines,  the  heaviest  ever  built  in  America. 

Weston  (1,840  miles  from  St.  Paul)  is  a  small  railroad 
n  in  the  dense  forests  on  the  western  slope  of  the  Cas- 
cade mountains,  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  grade. 

Along  Green  River. — After  emerging  from  the  tunnel 
the  railroad  descends  by  grades  no  steeper  than  those  on 
the  east  side  of  the  mountains  into  the  valley  of  the  Green 
river,  in  the  midst  of  superb  mountain  scenery.  Green 
river  is  a  beautiful  mountain  stream,  well  stocked  with 
trout,  and  flowing  through  dense  forests  of  fir,  cedar  and 
spruce. 


Portal  of  Stampede  Tunnel. 


244  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

The  Great  Forests  of  Washington.— Here  the  trav- 
eler gets  his  first  views  of  the  dense  forests  of  enormous 
evergreen  trees  which  cover  the  whole  country  in  Western 
Washington  between  the  Cascade  mountains  and  the.  Pa- 
cific ocan,  except  where  the  land  has  been  cleared  for 
farming  along  the  valleys  of  the  streams.  A  few  small 
prairies  here  and  there  with  a  gravelly  soil  that  will 
not  support  large  trees,  are  the  only  spots  in  this  region 
which  nature  left  open. 

An  estimate  of  the  forest  area  of  Washington  places  the 
total  at  23,558,000  acres,  and  the  amount  of  standing  tim- 
ber is  calculated  to  be  about  400,000,000,000  feet,  having  a 
stumpage  value  at  present  of  $270,000,000.  The  amount 
of  merchantable  timber  per  acre  varies  from  5,000  to 
40,000  feet.  In  Chehalis  county  there  are  extensive  dis- 
tricts that  will  average  32,000  feet  per  acre.  The  Lumber- 
mat^  has  an  article,  the  writer  of  which  says  that  he  has 
stood  in  a  Chehalis  forest  and  counted  within  a  radius  of 
200  feet  sixty-four  trees,  not  one  of  which  was  less  than 
four  feet  in  diameter  and  from  200  to  400  feet  in  height, 
besides  as  many  more  smaller  ones  that  would  be  termed 
"merchantable  lumber."  The  secretary  of  the  Board  of 
Trade  of  Anacortes  writes  to  the  same  journal  that  "  16,- 
000,000  feet  of  merchantable  timber  to  the  square  mile  in 
this  county  (Skagit)  is  not  a  high  figure,  when  it  is  consid- 
ered that  there  are  many  40-acre  tracts  that  will  cut  from 
three  to  four  million  feet  each."  A  cedar  tree  from  twelve 
to  twenty  feet  in  diameter.,  and  from  150  to  350  feet  high, 
the  first  limb  being  nearly  or  quite  100  feet  from  the 
ground,  will  cut  a  considerable  number  of  feet  of  clear 
lumber,  or  quite  enough  shingles  to  fill  several  cars.  While 
of  course  this  is  not  average  timber,  it  is  not  difficult  to 
find  such  enormous  trees,  when  occasion  requires,  in  any 
of  several  of  the  counties  of  Western  Washington.  . 


246  Thp  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

This  forest  region  is  beyond  any  question  more  heavily 
timbered  than  any  other  in  the  world.  The  stupendous 
growth  of  trees  which  covers  it  is  accounted  for  by  scien- 
tists by  the  great  amount  of  rainfall,  the  absence  of  low 
winter  temperatures,  and  the  cool  summers.  All  condi. 
tions  are  favorable  to  the  development  of  vegetable  life. 
Amid  the  gigantic  trunks  of  the  firs,  cedars  and  spruces, 
there  flourishes  such  a  rank  undergrowth  that  travelers 
who  have  penetrated  the  tropical  forests  along  the  Amazon 
say  that  the  difficulties  they  encountered  were  not  so  great 
as  those  which  must  be  overcome  in  going  through  these 
Washington  woods. 

Felling  a  Giant  Fir. — Louise  Herrick  Wall,  of  Aber- 
deen, Wash.,  writes  as  follows  in  the  Atlantic  Monthly: 

As  we  stood  in  the  broad  sunshine  of  the  roadway  the 
stillness  took  a  far  rhythmic  pulse.  It  was  the  choppers 
once  more  at  work  upon  a  standing  tree.  We  followed  the 
sound,  keeping  to  the  fork  of  the  skid  road  that  led  into 
the  deeper  forest,  passed  beyond  the  main  group  of  log- 
gers and  the  deep-breathing  team,  until  we  could  hear  the 
voices  of  the  choppers. 

As  we  came  up  the  two  men  paused,  and  one  said  good- 
humoredly,  "That's  right!  Come  to  see  us  fall  this  tree?" 
Then  the  axes  swung  again.  Each  man  stood  lifted  up  on 
a  springboard,  whose  end  was  slipped  into  a  notch  cut  in 
the  base  of  the  tree  four  or  five  feet  from  the  ground. 
They  always  work  above  the  ground  this  way,  in  order  to 
escape  the  increased  work  of  cutting  through  the  great 
swell  at  the  base.  Standing  with  feet  apart  upon  the 
springy  perches,  they  were  "  under-cutting  "  the  tree  on  the 
side  toward  which  they  wanted  it  to  fall.  The  axes  sent 
their  pleasant  reverberation  up  the  straight,  limbless  trunk, 
communicating   only  a    quiver  to  the    plumed   limbs    two 


Through    Washington.  24? 

hundred  feet  above.  Clean  white  chips  were  cleared  out 
from  the  U  shaped  cleft  of  the  undercut,  and  after  a  little 
measuring  and  squinting  along  the  tree  the  men  dropped 
down,  and  shifted  their  boards  to  notches  in  the  opposite 
side  of  the  tree  from  the  under-cut.  Then  the  long  saw 
with  handle  at  each  end  came  into  use.  The  men  started 
carefully,  holding  the  saw  quite  true  that  later  it  might  not 
wedge.  They  drew  it  back  and  forth  cautiously  at  first* 
until  it  penetrated  the  rough  bark  evenly  and  the  teeth 
caught  on  the  wood.  A  thin  shower  of  pale  sawdust 
floated  down  from  either  side,  as  the  saw  grated  in  and  out 
and  the  loggers  swayed  slightly  from  hip  to  hip,  their  red- 
shirted  arms  moving  with  the  iron  regularity  of  piston- 
rods.  Back  and  forth,  back  and  forth,  went  the  handle  of 
the  saw.  It  seemed  an  endless  business  for  those  two  men 
to  drive  that  edge  of  steel  through  twelve  feet  of  solid, 
flawless  wood.  There  is  the  dull  monotony  of  machine- 
work  in  the  sawing,  different  from  the  spirited  rise  and  fall 
of  the  axes,  and  the  sharp  cracking  away,  beneath  the  tell- 
ing blows,  of  great  white  chips,  and  our  eyes  wandered 
beyond  the  workers  to  the  green  stillness.  Little  clearing 
had  been  done  at  this  point.  The  whole  upper  growth  was 
of  evergreens,  and  so  dense  that  no  speck  of  sky  could  be 
seen  beyond  their  exalted  tops — so  dense  that  in  this  vir- 
gin forest  the  running  elk  throws  his  antlered  head  back- 
ward and  from  side  to  side  to  pass  through  the  close 
phalanx  of  trees,  and  is  sometimes  wedged  between  their 
bodies  and  slowly  perishes.  Beneath  the  lofty  canopy, 
Supported  Upon  its  close,  shaftlike  columns,  grew  a  matted 
tangle  of  underbrush  and  mail-high  elk  fern,  the  pale  green 
of  the  small-leafed  huckleberry  and  salmonberry  making  a 
delicious  note  of  freshness  beneath  the  sombre  grandeur 
of  the  dull  green  vault  above.     So  dense  is  the  -  >vershadow« 


A  Glimpse  of  Green  River. 
2i$ 


Through    Washington.  249 

ing  of  the  evergreens  that  the  air  is  moisture-laden  in  mid- 
summer, and  is  seen  through  the  vista  of  endless  columns 
a  vaporous  blue,  as  of  drifting  incense.  Upon  the  rough 
ground,  muscular  with  plaited  roots,  mats  of  heavy  moss, 
vividly  green  during  the  rainy  season,  lay  in  yellow  patches. 

The  saw  labored  heavily  as  the  weight  of  the  tree  be- 
gan to  settle  upon  the  deeply  imbedded  blade;  two  steel 
wedges  were  driven  a  little  way  into  the  cleft,  but  although 
the  weight  was  lifted  the  saw  still  moved  hard.  The  men 
paused  again,  and  one  took  the  adjustable  handle  from  his 
end  of  the  saw,  while  the  other  drew  the  toothed  blade 
half  its  length  out  toward  him  and  spattered  a  liberal  sup- 
ply of  kerosene  oil  from  his  bottle  upon  it;  then  pushing 
it  back,  the  handle  was  readjusted.  The  men  jerked  up 
their  trousers,  wiped  the  sweat  from  their  foreheads,  and 
jumped  heavily  on  their  springboards  to  jar  them  back 
into  place. 

"All  set!  "  called  the  older  man,  and  once  more  the  even 
grating,  the  piston-rod  arms  and  the  drifting  drizzle  of 
pule  gold  sawdust.  Then  the  sound  of  the  saw  suddenly 
changed  from  the  dry  grate  to  a  dull,  soft  mumble. 

"  Pitch!  "  exclaimed  both  men  in  a  tone  of  deep  disgust; 
and  as  they  spoke,  through  the  fine  cleft  the  saw  had  made 
oozed  a  thick    sluggish    stream    of    turpentine,  and    crept 

\  u  the  side  of  the  tree  to  the  ground. 

••  There's  barrels  of  it  in  this  tree,  and  it's  as  slow  as  mo- 
lasses in  Januai  \ 

But  they  settled  themselves  once  more  for  work.     The 

Mined    with    pitch,  moved    with   heavy   resistance, 

and  the  steady  ooze  of  the  turpentine  increased  in  volume. 

••  You  (1  better  get  that  can,  Jim,"  said  the  older  man, 
and  the  other  dropped  from  his  perch  into  the  underbrush 
ted  for  the  road. 


250  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

"  Jest  as  well  try  to  saw  through  a  stick  of  taffy  candy 
as  this  kind  of  tree/'  explained  the  waiting  logger.  (i  He's 
gone  for  the  water-can,  and  we'll  see  if  we  can  get  through 
this  vein." 

Jim  came  back  presently,  carrying  a  leaky  oil  can  heavy 
with  water.  A  wedge  was  driven  into  the  tree  well  above 
the  saw  and  the  can  hung  upon  the  wedge,  so  that  the 
water  leaked  down  upon  the  saw  as  it  worked  in  and  out. 

"  What  good  does  it  do?  "  I  asked  incredulously. 

"  Don'  know,"  returned  Jim,  laboring  at  the  saw,  "but 
it  makes  awful  easy  sawing." 

"  Sort  o'  freezes  the  pitch,"  said  the  other  philosoph- 
ically. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  saw  did  move  more  freely, 
drawing  in  a  little  cold  water  each  time,  and  the  "  frozen  " 
pitch  mixed  with  water  frothed  out  in  a  white  foam.  After 
a  long  time  of  heavy  sawing,  the  teeth  began  to  catch  more 
firmly,  and  a  few  more  moments'  work  brought  the  saw 
very  near  to  the  iC  under-cut." 

No  message  of  its  coming  fall  has  reached  the  far  top, 
now  that  the  body  of  the  tree  is  nearly  severed;  the 
branches  stir  less  than  at  the  first  blows  of  the  axe.  The 
fir  stands  beautifully  erect.  The  loggers  squint  up  its 
length  and  say  oracularly  which  way  it  will  fall;  they 
move  the  axes  and  water-can  out  of  harm's  way,  and 
spring  back  to  their  perches.  We  stand  on  a  fallen  tree 
a  few  yards  behind  the  loggers,  and  wait  expectantly. 
There  is  an  irresistible  sense  of  excitement;  even  these  men 
to  whom  it  is  such  an  old  story  feel  it.  Who  can  say 
what  sudden  wind  will  snatch  the  tree  and  throw  it  sud- 
denly backward  upon  us  ?  The  brooding  silence  of  the 
forest  is  absolute,  save  for  the  steady  grate  of  the  saw  in 
^and  out,  like  stertorous  breathing.  Erect  and  motionless 
the  tree  waits. 


Three  Bridges  ard  Tunnel,  on  Green  River, 


851 


252  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

The  men  nod  to  each  other;  the  sawing  ceases;  one 
handle  is  slipped  off,  and  the  saw  drawn  all  the  way 
through  and  laid  back  of  the  tree;  one  man  springs  down 
and  lifts  his  perch  out,  and  hands  a  great  mallet  to  the 
other,  who  still  stands  upon  his  springboard.  The  mallet 
is  lifted,  and  a  loud  sonorous  chant  rings  through  the  still- 
ness: "  All  clear  ahead  !  Timber!"  Then  the  mailet  falls 
once,  twice,  thrice,  upon  the  heads  of  the  wedges.  There 
is  a  slight  creaking,  the  logger  flings  the  mallet  aside  and 
rushes  backward,  the  deft  widens,  the  great  green  head 
stirs  ;  then,  with  a  rushing,  thundering  roar,  mingled  with 
the  sound  of  the  rending  fibres  of  the  trunk,  the  giant 
tears  its  mighty  arc  through  the  air  ;  a  cloud  of  blackness 
envelops  the  fall;  the  air  is  dark  with  dust  and  moss  and 
flying  fragments.  The  roar  is  superb  as  the  tree  crashes 
its  way  through  the  underbrush,  louder  than  cannon,  but 
with  no  harshness;  more  like  some  mighty  breaker  that 
has  climbed  ten  thousand  miles  of  sea  to  beat  its  heart  out 
on  a  lonely  shore. 

Buckley  (1,882  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  1,000) 
is  an  important  lumbering  town  in  the  White  River 
valley.  There  are  a  number  of  hop  ranches  near  the 
town. 

In  the  Puyallup  Valley. — After  leaving  the  Green 
river,  the  road  crosses  two  divides,  first  to  the  White  river 
and  then  to  the  Puyallup,  a  picturesque  stream  fed  from 
the  glaciers  on  the  slopes  of  Mt.  Taco.ua.  The  important 
coal  mines  of  Carbonado,  South  Prairie  and  Wilkeson  are 
situated  at  the  headwaters  of  this  river.  Its  lower  course 
is  through  the  most  productive  hop  region  in  the  world, 
where  the  possession  of  a  few  acres  in  hops  makes  the 
farmer  independent  for  life. 

Puyallup  (1901  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population   2,000) 


254  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

is  essentially  a  hop  town,  being  the  trading  point  for  all 
the  hop-raising  country  in  the  valley  of  the  Puyallup, 
Stuck,  and  White  rivers.  The  hop  fields  extend  up  to  the 
very  dooryards  in  the  village,  and  the  drying  houses  on 
the  near  hop  farms  are  among  the  most  conspicuous  objects 
in  the  landscape.  The  tourist  who  has  time  to  spare  is 
advised  to  stop  a  day  in  Puyallup  and  investigate  the  very 
interesting  industry  which  has  created  the  town.  The  soil 
in  this  hop-growing  valley  seems  to  be  inexhaustible. 
Wild  land  valuable  for  hop  culture  near  Puyallup  is  worth 
from  $75  to  $100  per  acre,  and  costs  about  $100  more  per 
acre  to  clear.  It  is  said  that,  taking  an  average  of  a  period 
of  years,  every  acre  cultivated  in  hops  will  yield  a  net 
profit  of  at  least  $100.  The  price  of  hops  varies  widely 
from  year  to  year,  and  is  mainly  dependent  on  the  German 
crop.  Some  years  it  is  claimed  lhat  there  is  no  profit  at 
all  in  hops  raised  in  Washington,  but  in  the  long  run  the  hop 
farmers  all  become  comfortably  well  off.  There  are  few 
forms  of  agricultural  industry  where  so  much  money  can 
be  made  from  an  acre  of  ground. 

After  leaving  Puyallup  the  railroad  traverses  for  about 
eight  miles  the  Puyallup  Indian  reservation.  These  Indians 
own  their  land  in  severalty,  and  are,  as  a  rule,  industrious 
farmers.  Their  children  are  educated  in  the  agency  school, 
and  the  good  order  of  the  reservation  is  enforced  by  a 
justice  of  the  peace  and  constables  elected  by  the  Indians 
themselves. 

Tacoma  (1,909  miles  from  St.  Paul  ;  population,  40,- 
000)  is  the  official  western  terminus  of  the  Northern  Pacific 
railroad  and  the  point  where  it  meets  the  commerce  of 
the  Pacific  ocean.  The  road  extends  100  miles  further 
west,  however,  by  a  branch  line  that  reaches  the  Pacific 
ocean  at  Ocosta,  on  Gray's  harbor.     It  has  also  a   second 


Loading  an  Ocean  Sailing  Vessel  at  Tacoma. 


256  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

ocean  terminus  at  South  Bend,  on  Willapa  harbor.  From 
Tacoma  the  main  line  runs  southward  to  Portlands  and  a 
branch  turns  northward  to  Seattle,  where  it  connects  with 
other  lines  controlled  by  the  Northern  Pacific  that  run  as 
far  as  Vancouver,  in  British  Columbia. 

Tacoma  is  situated  upon  the  tide  water  of  the  Pacific 
near  the  head  of  Puget  sound,  and  occupies  a  command- 
ing position  both  as  a  seaport  and  a  railroad  center.  The 
arm  of  the  Sound  upon  which  the  city  fronts  is  called  Com- 
mencement bay,  and  furnishes  an  excellent  harbor,  where 
the  largest  ocean  steamers  and  sailing  vessels  lie  at  anchor 
or  receive  their  cargoes  of  coal,  lumber,  wheat  and  other 
products  of  the  region,  at  the  spacious  wharves,  coal 
bunkers  and  warehouses. 

Tacoma  has  had  an  extraordinarily  rapid  growth. 
When  selected  in  1872  as  the  Pacific  coast  terminus  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  railroad,  the  site  was  covered  with  a  dense 
forest.  The  population  in  1875  was  only  300,  in  1880  it 
was  760,  in  1886  it  was  6,907,  in  1887,  9,00c,  in  1888,  15,000, 
in  1889,  25,000,  in  1890,  30,000,  and  in  1894,  about  40,000. 
The  city  is  built  upon  a  succession  of  benches  or  plateaus 
beginning  at  the  head  of  Commencement  bay,  and  sloping 
gradually  upward  to  an  elevation  of  about  300  feet,  at 
the  point  where  the  bay  joins  the  broader  water  of 
Puget  sound.  The  landscapes  and  water  views  are 
superb.  The  Cascade  range  can  be  seen  for  nearly  a  hun- 
dred miles  from  north  to  south,  and  Mt.  Tacoma,  one  of 
the  loftiest  snow  peaks  in  the  United  States,  rises  to  a 
height  of  14,444  feet,  ic,ooo  feet  of  which  are  covered  with 
snow  fields  and  glaciers.  This  superb  mountain, 
which  has  no  rival  in  the  world  for  beauty  and 
grandeur,  is  in  plain  view  from  all  the  terraces  of  the  new 
city.     Tacoma  is,  next  to  San  Francisco,  the  most  impor- 


258  The  Northern  Pacific  Rialroad. 

tant  wheat-shipping  port  on  the  Pacific  coast.  It  also 
ships  more  lumber  and  more  coal  than  any  other  port  on 
that  coast.  The  wheat  goes  around  Cape  Horn  to  Liver- 
pool. The  lumber  goes  to  California,  Mexico,  South 
America,  China,  and  Australia,  and  the  coal  is  chiefly  con- 
sumed in  San  Francisco.  Lumber  is  manufactured  at 
three  large  mills,  one  of  which  is  the  largest  on  Puget 
sound.  The  coal  is  brought  in  by  rail  from  mines  about 
thirty  miles  distant  in  the  foothills  of  the  Cascade  moun- 
tains. The  principal  mining  towns  are  Carbonado,  Wilke- 
son  and  Spring  Prairie.  It  is  also  brought  from  Bucoda, 
south  of  Tacoma,  on  the  Pacific  division  of  the  N.  P.  R.  R. 
Wheat  is  received  from  all  parts  of  the  great  wheat-pro- 
ducing region  east  of  the  Cascade  mountains,  and  is 
stored  and  handled  in  enormous  warehouses.  Tacoma  is 
the  distributing  point  for  emigration  coming  from  the 
East  and  from  California,  and  destined  to  all  parts  of 
Washington.      It  is  also  an  attractive  resort  for  tourists. 

It  has  one  of  the  largest  and  best  equipped  hotels  on 
the  Pacific  coast  north  of  San  Francisco,  "The  Tacoma," 
which  stands  on  a  high  plateau  overlooking  Commence- 
ment bay,  and  a  full  view  of  the  enormous  snow  peak  of 
Mount  Tacoma.  There  are  several  handsome  public  school 
buildings,  two  colleges,  and  an  Episcopal  seminary  for 
girls,  called  the  "Anna  Wright"  seminary,  in  honor  of  the 
deceased  daughter  of  Charles  B.  Wright,  of  Philadelphia, 
ex-president  of  the  Northern  Pacific  railroad,  who  has 
liberally  endowed  the  institution.  The  Episcopal  church 
is  a  beautiful  stone  structure,  erected  by  Mr.  Wright  as  a 
monument  to  the  memory  of  his  wife.  Tacoma  is  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Western  division  of  the  Northern  Pacific 
railroad,  and  has  extensive  car  and  repair  shops.  Pacific 
avenue,  the    principal  business  street,  is  a  broad  thorough- 


260  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

fare,  with  numerous  large  and  handsome  buildings,  and 
an  extensive  wholesale  trade  is  done  here.  The  city  has 
water-works  and  gas-works,  is  well  drained,  and  is  remark- 
ably healthy.  Cable  and  electric  roads  furnish  local  tran- 
sit. The  manufacturing  concerns  include  flouring  and  saw 
mills,  a  large  smelter  for  smelting  gold,  silver,  copper  and 
lead  ores,  tile  and  brick  works,  furniture  factories  and  a 
brewery.  There  are  daily  steamboats  to  Seattle,  Port 
Townsend,  Victoria,  Olympia,  and  other  places  on  the 
Sound.  There  is  also  regular  weekly  connection  with  San 
Francisco  and  with  Alaska  by  ocean  steamships. 

A  line  of  steamships  under  the  British  flag,  but  con- 
trolled by  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  company,  runs  to 
Japan  and  China.  The  passage  to  Yokohama  is  made  in 
about  two  weeks. 

Tacoma  and  Seattle  Line  (from  Tacoma  to  Seattle, 
40  miles). — Tourists  visiting  Seattle  from  Tacoma  should 
make  the  trip  in  one  direction  by  rail  and  in  the  other  by 
boat.  The  rail  route  runs  through  a  series  of  highly  fer- 
tile valleys,  which  are  thickly  settled  with  market  gar- 
deners, hop-raisers  and  fruit  raisers  and  dairymen  and 
which  support  a  number  of  pretty  and  thriving  towns. 
The  trains  run  eastward  on  the  main  line  for  ten  miles  to 
Meeker  Junction,  passing  through  the  hop  metropolis  of 
Puyallup,  described  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  From 
Meeker  they  turn  north  along  the  valleys  of  the  Stuck,  the 
White,  the  Black  and  the  Dwamish  rivers,  and  skirting  the 
western  shore  of  Elliot  bay  run  into  the  heart  of  the  city 
of  Seattle.  Frequent  trains  are  run  to  accommodate  the 
large  travel  between  Seattle  and  Tacoma. 

Sumner  is  a  hop-growing  village  with  about  500  inhabi- 
tants. The  hop  gardens  come  up  almost  to  the  doors  of 
the  pretty  cottages.     There  is  an  academy  for  the  higher 


Glaciers  of  Mount  Taconv.. 


262  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

education  of  both  sexes.  Auburn,  formerly  called  Slaugh- 
ter, is  a  smart  town  of  1,000  inhabitants  in  a  rich  valley 
mainly  devoted  to  hop-culture  and  the  small  fruits  and 
vegetables.  Kent  has  1,500  people  and  is  the  chief  town 
on  the  line.  With  ten  acres  of  land  in  this  highly  produc- 
tive alluvial  valley  a  farmer  is  looked  upon  as  well-off. 
Kent  is  a  well-built  town  in  the  midst  of  orchards,  gardens 
and  hop  fields. 

On  Puget  Sound. — All  tourists  visiting  the  Pacific 
coast  should  make  a  voyage  on  Puget  sound,  at  least  to 
the  extent  of  taking  the  trip  from  Tacoma  to  Victoria  and 
return.  This  is  one  of  the  most  delightful  and  impressive 
excursions  by  water  in  the  world.  Nowhere  else,  save  in 
Alaska  and  in  Japan,  can  gigantic  snow  peaks  be  seen  ris- 
ing almost  from  the  sea  level  to  heights  far  above  the 
clouds.  The  whole  of  the  Cascade  range  from  Mount 
Tacoma  to  Mount  Baker,  its  two  white  monarchs,  is  seen 
on  the  eastern  horizon,  and  on  the  nearer  western  horizon 
rise  the  frowning  rocky,  snow-flecked  walls  of  the  Olym- 
pic mountains.  All  the  shores  are  densely  clad  with  ever- 
green forests.  The  waters  of  the  sound  are  a  clear  sea- 
green  and  are  enlivened  by  flocks  of  waterfowl.  Seagulls 
follow  the  steamer  and  swoop  down  with  clamorous  cries 
for  refuse  from  the  tables  thrown  overboard  by  the  stew- 
ards or  for  crackers  tossed  out  by  the  passengers,  who 
find  much  amusement  in  watching  the  movements  of 
these  tireless  birds.  Now  and  then  a  school  of  porpoises 
may  be  seen  leaping  out  of  the  water  in  sportive,  curving 
bounds.      • 

The  steamers  on  this  route  are  large  and  handsomely 
equipped.  A  boat  leaves  Tacoma  every  morning,  arriving 
in  Victoria  late  in  the  afternoon  and  arriving  in  Tacoma 
on  the  return  tri-p  early   next  morning.     Travelers  should, 


264  The  Northern  Pacific  J?  a  it  road. 

however,  arrange  to  spend  a  day  in  Victoria.  The  Sound 
is  divided  in  its  lower  length  by  the  large  island  of 
Whidby,  which  is  thirty  miles  long.  The  Victoria  boats 
take  the  western  side  of  this  island  and  call  at  Port  Town- 
send.  Another  line  of  boats  runs  east  of  the  island  as  far 
as  New  Whatcom,  calling  at  Everett,  Anacortes  and  Fair- 
haven.  Bjth  lines  touch  at  Seattle,  which  is  the  empor- 
ium of  the  middle  Sound. 

Seattle  (41  miles  from  Tacoma  by  rail,  and  27  miles  by 
water,  and  1,956  miles  from  St.  Paul  via  the  Cascade  div- 
ision; population,  45,000).  This  handsome  and  prosperous 
city  is  one  of  the  oldest  places  on  Puget  sound,  and  was 
an  important  center  of  trade  before  Tacoma  was  founded. 
Its  steady  growth  has  not  been  checked  by  the  rapid  rise 
of  the  new  city  on  Commencement  bay.  It  is  charmingly 
situated  on  a  succession  of  high  terraces  which  rise  from 
the  shores  of  Elliot  bay.  The  city  is  laid  out  for  a  dis- 
tance of  three  miles  from  the  bay  to  the  shores  of  Lake 
Washington,  a  fine  body  of  fresh  water,  twenty  miles  long 
by  about  three  miles  wide.  A  similar  lake,  called  Lake 
Union,  connects  with  Lake  Washington,  and  also  with  the 
Sound,  and  the  suburbs  of  the  city  in  a  northeastern  direc- 
tion advance  to  its  shores.  Seattle  is  the  center  of  a 
remarkably  complete  system  of  steam  navigation,  which 
embraces  all  the  towns  and  lumbering  camps  on  the 
Sound,  and  also  the  navigable  rivers  of  the  region.  A  fleet 
of  twenty-five  steamboats  is  engaged  in  the  local  trade  of 
the  Sound,  running  to  Tacoma,  Olympia,  Hood's  Canal, 
Port  Townsend,  La  Conner,  Whatcom,  and  many  minor 
points,  and  also  up  the  White,  Snohomish,  Skagit,  and 
Snoqualmie  rivers.  Ocean  steamers  run  regularly  to  San 
Francisco,  and  the  Alaska  and  Japan  steamers  touch  here. 

Educational  facilities  are  provided  by  the  State  univer- 


the  Seattle.  Lake  Shore  \   BasterO   I 


W5 


266  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

sity,  by  the  public  schools,  which  occupy  large  and  costly 
buildings,  the  Yesler  college,  an  institution  for  boys,  an 
academy  for  young  ladies,  a  business  college,  and  several 
private  and  denominational  schools.  There  are  ioo  or  more 
manufacturing  concerns  in  the  city,  most  of  which  are 
engaged  in  industries  connected  with  the  lumber  trade. 

There  is  an  excellent  system  of  electric  and  cable  roads. 
An  excursion  that  can  be  heartily  recommended  to  visitors 
is  to  take  a  cable  car  to  Lake  Washington,  where  there  are 
attractive  lakeside  resorts  with  facilities  for  yachting  and 
rowing.  Another  pleasant  cable  trip  is  to  the  northern 
suburb  of  Queen  Anne  town,  on  the  shore  of  Elliot  bay. 
The  leading  hotel  is  the  Rainier,  built  on  the  second  ter- 
race above  the  bay  and  commanding  from  its  piazzas  a 
wonderful  view  over  the  Sound  and  across  to  the  bold 
range  of  the  Olympic  mountains.  All  the  movements  of 
vessels  coming  and  going  on  the  bay  can  be  plainly  seen. 
From  the  highest  ground  in  the  city,  crossed  by  the  lines 
of  cable  road  running  to  Lake  Washington,  there  is  a 
superb  view  of  the  great  mountain  which  is  called  Rainier 
in  Seattle,  and  Tacoma  in  Tacoma. 

In  the  summer  of  1889,  the  entire  business  district  of 
Seattle  was  totally  destroyed  by  fire,  including  most  of  the 
wharves.  The  rebuilding  of  the  city  went  on  with  a 
rapidity  that  was  phenomenal  and  the  new  structures  were 
all  of  brick  and  stone  and  far  surpassed  the  old  ones  in 
their  style  and  cost.  The  disaster  resulted  in  making 
Seattle  one  of  the  handsomest  and  most  solid  cities  in  its 
architecture  to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  country.  All 
travelers  are  impressed  by  the  beauty  of  the  place  and  by 
the  energy  and  progressive  spirit  of  Its  people.  The 
neighboring  coal  fields  are  one  of  the  chief  elements  which 
contribute  to  the  prosperity    of  Seattle.     The  mines  now 


jHlotel  JNfortl^erp 


SEATTLE,  WASH. 


Rates,  $2.50  Per  Day  and  Upwards. 


Central  location,  large  rooms, 
prompt  service,  excellent  meals,  din- 
ing hall  on  the  top  floor,  street  car 
lines  within  one  block  and  all  trains 
and  boats  arrive  and  depart  within 
i  blocks. 

J.     W.     DODGK, 

C.  E.  Smith. 


Hotel  Northern, 


SEATTLE,  WASH. 


Dougb  &   Smith. 


PLAN . . . 


,mm  Rates, 

*jf  $250  per  Day, 

••  "  ar;d  iJpu/ards. 


Within    two    blocks  of   all  Wharves  and  Railroad 
Depots. 


Through    Washington.  267 

worked  are  chiefly  in  the  vicinity  of  Renton  and  Newcas- 
tle, and  are  reached  by  a  narrow-gauge  railroad,  twenty 
miles  long.  There  are  extensive  coal  fields,  which  have 
been  explored,  and  are  being  developed,  lying  on  the 
Green  and  Cedar  rivers,  near  the  base  of  the  Cascade 
mountains.  Coal  is  brought  to  the  wharves  in  Seattle, 
and  shipped  by  a  line  of  steam  colliers  to  San  Francisco. 
Both  the  mining  and  shipping  operations,  as  well  as  nar- 
row-gauge railroad,  are  in  the  hands  of  the  Oregon 
Improvement  company.  There  is  considerable  agricul- 
tural land  tributary  to  Seattle  in  the  valleys  of  White, 
Green  and  Snoqualmie  rivers. 

Port  Townsend  is  sometimes  called  the  "Gate  City 
of  the  Sound."  It  is  situated  at  the  entrance  of  Admiralty 
Inlet,  on  the  Strait  of  Juan  de  Fuca,  and  is  the  port  of 
entry  for  the  entire  Sound  district.  It  has  about  3,000 
inhabitants,  and  its  principal  trade  is  in  supplying  the 
ships  which  enter  and  clear  at  its  custom  house.  An  iron 
furnace  in  the  vicinity  manufactures  pig  iron  from  hema- 
tite ore.  There  is  a  military  post  about  three  miles  dis- 
tant. The  harbor  of  Port  Townsend  is  an  excellent  one, 
being  well  sheltered  from  the  north  and  west  winds.  The 
town  is  built  upon  two  benches,  the  stores  almost  on  a 
level  with  the  water  and  the  residences  on  a  plateau  about 
100  feet  high.  Vehicles  ascend  by  a  gentle  grade  and 
pedestrians  take  a  short  cut  by  way  of  a  long  flight  of 
The  most  conspicuous  building  is  the  United 
States  custom  house. 

Victoria  (117  miles  from  Tacoma)  has  a  population  of 
about  12,000,  and  is  the  seat  of  government  for  the  Pro- 
vince of  British  Columbia.  1 1  is  situated  on  the  southern 
extremity  of  Vancouver's  Island,  on  a  small,  landlocked 
Say  which  puts  in  from  the  waters  of    the    broad    strait    of 


268  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

Juan  de  Fuca.  Esquimault  bay,  five  miles  distant,  is  a 
station  for  the  British  navy,  and  has  a  large  and  extensive 
dry  dock,  constructed  by  the  British  government.  The 
climate  of  Victoria  is  mild  in  winter  and  cold  in  summer, 
and  the  place  is  a  favorite  resort  for  tourists.  Excellent 
roads  lead  into  the  country  in  every  direction,  and  the 
scenery,  especially  'along  the  shores  of  the  strait,  from 
whence  the  lofty  and  rugged  range  of  the  Olympian 
mountains  is  seen,  is  strikingly  picturesque.  Steamers 
leaving  Tacoma  in  the  evening  arrive  at  Victoria  the  next 
morning.  From  Victoria,  there  is  steamship  connection 
with  San  Francisco,  and  also  with  Sitka,  Alaska,  and 
steamboats  run  across  the  Gulf  of  Georgia  to  Vancouver 
and  New  Westminster,  on  the  main  land. 

The  principal  hotel  is  the  Driard.  The  Parliament 
buildings  are  worth  visiting.  The  two  best  drives  are 
that  to  Esquimault  and  one  which  leads  through  the  park 
out  along  the  shore  of  the  strait  to  the  residence  of  the 
Lieutenant-Governor,  who  is  the  chief  executive  and  rep- 
resentative of  the  Queen  in  the  Province. 

The  following  towns  are  on  the  eastern  route,  taken  by 
the  Sound  steamboats  that  ply  between  Tacoma  and  Seat- 
tle and  Whatcom. 

Everett. — At  the  mouth  of  the  Snohomish  river,  30 
miles  from  Seattle,  is  a  new  manufacturing  town  of  3,000 
people,  facing  on  both  the  river  and  the  Sound  and  occu- 
pying the  peninsula  between  the  salt  water  and  the  deep, 
navigable  stream.  Here  are  located  the  ship-yards  of  the 
Pacific  Coast  Steel  Barge  company,  which  builds  and  re- 
pairs vessels  of  the  new  "whaleback"  type.  One  of  the 
largest  paper  mills  in  the  world  is  also  located  at  Everett, 
and  a  third  important  industry  is  the  manufacture  of  steel 
wire  nails.     Lumbering,  logging  and  farming  on   the    tide 


Everett,  Wash. 

The  Coming  Commercial  and  Industrial  Center, 

ON    PUGET    SOUND. 


TWO  YEARS  OLD,  5, OOP  POPULATION. 

Factories  giving  employment  to  over  one  thousand  men.     Electric 
Railroad,  Electric  Lights,  Paved  Streets,  Water  System,  etc. 

Pacific  Coast  Home  of  the  Famous  Whaleback  Steamships. 


Pulp  and  Paper  Mill,  Wire  Nail  Mill,  Lumber  and  Shingle  Mills, 
Foundry  and  Machine  Shops,  Brick  Yards,  Tile  Works,  etc.,  in  success- 
ful operation. 

A    TERMINAL    POINT 

on  three  Trans-continental  Lines — The  Northern  Pacific,  Canadian 
Pacific,  and  Great  Northern  Railways.  Terminus  of  the  great  "Scenic" 
line,  the  Everett  &  Monte  Cristo  Railway. 

EVERETT  is  the  most  convenient  Shipping  Point  for  China,  Japan 
and  Pacific  Coast  ports,  and  located  at  the  mouth  of  the  Snohomish 
river,  it  has  the  only  fresh  water  harbor  on  the  Pacific  Coast  immedi- 
ately Adjacent  to  and  safely  accessible  from  deep  salt  water. 

The  Monte  Cristo  Hotel,  at  Everett,  has  been  built  with  especial 
reference  to  the  comfort  of  Tourists. 

For  information  regarding  Everett,  address 

THE  EVERETT  LAND  GO.,  Everett,  Wash. 


270  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

flats  are  additional  industries.  The  shore  line  of  the  Great 
Northern  road  is  joined  at  Everett  by  the  main  line  east- 
ward across  the  mountains.  There  is  also  a  connection 
with  the  Northern  Pacific  system  by  rail  to  Snohomish, 
six  miles  distant,  by  way  of  the  Everett  and  Monte  Cristo 
railroad,  which  runs  to  the  Monte  Cristo  mining  district 
at  the  base  of  the  Cascade  mountains. 

Anacortes  is  a  sea-port  on  Fidalgo  island,  facing 
Ship  harbor.  It  has  a  fine  land-locked  harbor,  to>  which 
ships  can  sail  directly  up  the  strait  of  Juan  de  Fuca  from 
the  Pacific  ocean.  Population,  1,500.  River  connection 
is  had  with  the  Great  Northern  and  Northern  Pacific  sys- 
tems by  a  road  owned  by  the  Oregon  Improvement  com- 
pany. 

Fairhaven  is  a  town  of  about  3,000  people  on  a  beauti- 
ful bay.  It  is  on  one  of  the  lines  of  the  Great  Northern. 
On  the  north  it  touches  elbows  with  the  larger  town, — 

New  Whatcom,  population  6,060,  formed  by  a  con- 
solidation of  the  old  towns  of  Whatcom  and  Sehome.  This 
place  is  built  on  the  crescent  shaped  shore  of  Bellingham 
bay.  Its  industries  are  lumber  and  coal,  and  it  has  a 
large  farming  country  back  of  it  up  the  valley  of  the  Nook- 
sack  river.  Its  railroads  are  the  Great  Northern  and  the 
Canadian  Pacific,  the  latter  running  through  sleepers  to 
St.  Paul.  The  voyage  from  New  Whatcom  to  Tacoma  oc- 
cupies about  twelve  hours  and  is  of  constant  scenic  in- 
terest. 

From  Tacoma  to  Portland. — The  distance  from  Ta- 
coma to  Portland  is  144  miles  and  the  latter  city  is  the 
furtherest  point  from  St.  Paul  to  which  the  unbroken 
■  through  trains  of  the  Northern  Pacific  run.  The  road 
changes  its  direction  at  Tacoma,  and  runs  nearly  due 
south    to  the  Columbia  river,  crossing    first  a  number  of 


272  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

gravelly  prairies  and  several  small  streams  flowing  to 
Puget  sound,  following  for  a  few  miles  the  valley  of  the 
Chehalis,  which  flows  into  Gray's  harbor,  and  then  strik- 
ing into  the  valley  of  the  Cowlitz,  a  glacier-fed  river  of 
considerable  size,  which  it  follows  down  to  the  Columbia. 
The  Cowlitz  is  navigable  for  about  fifty  miles  for  small 
steamboats.  A  good  deal  of  fine  farming,  grazing  and 
fruit  country  is  seen  on  this  journey  in  the  valleys  of  the 
Chehalis  and  the  Cowlitz.  The  train  is  ferried  across 
the  Columbia  on  an  enormous  transfer  boat  which  takes 
engines  and  cars  over  at  a  single  trip.  At  the  crossing 
point  the  river  is  nearly  two  miles  wide.  Once  on  the 
southern  bank  the  train  runs  up  the  river,  keeping  close 
to  the  shore,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Willamette,  and  then 
follows  that  stream  to  Portland.  The  attention  of  tourists 
is  called  to  the  superb  views  of  Mount  St.  Helens  and 
Mount  Hood,  which  may  be  seen  from  the  car  windows, 
and  to  the  beauties  of  the  river  scenery. 

There  are  two  lines  for  a  part  of  the  way  between  Ta- 
coma  and  the  Columbia.  They  diverge  at  Lake  View  and 
come  together  at  Centralia.  One  of  the  through  passen- 
ger trains  follows  one  line  and  one  the  other.  The  route 
of  most  interest  to  tourists  is  that  by  way  of  Olympia,  the 
capital  of  Washington. 

Olympia  (r,944  miles  from  St.  Paul,  population  4,000) 
is  the  capital  of  Washington,  and  is  the  oldest  town  in  the 
country  west  of  the  Cascade  mountains.  It  is  beautifully 
situated  at  the  head  of  the  crescent-shaped  body  of  water 
which  was  originally  named  Puget  sound  by  an  English 
explorer  named  Vancouver.  The  name  is  now  generally 
applied  to  the  whole  body  of  water  from  the  straits 
of  Juan  de  Fuca  to  Olympia.  Vancouver  called  the 
main  body  Admiralty    inlet,  and  gave  separate    names  to 


Through    Washington.  21$ 

the  smaller  inlets,  bays  and  channels.  Olympia  is  an 
attractive  place,  with  broad  and  well-shaded  streets,  and 
an  abundance  of  fruit  trees  and  flowers. 

The  court  house  is  a  remarkably  handsome  structure 
built  of  native  sandstone.  A  State  capitol  costing  $1,000,- 
ooo  is  to  be  constructed.  A  good  hotel,  with  broad  piaz- 
zas, commands  fine  views  of  the  town  and  Sound.  Oyster 
fishing  is  an  important  industry.  Electric  cars  run  to 
Tumwater,  three  miles  distant,  where  there  is  a  water 
power  that  is  used  by  several  mills.  Steamboats  run  daily 
to  Tacoma  and  Seattle.  There  is  also  steamboat  connec- 
tion with  the  saw  mill  towns  and  lumbering  camps  on 
Hood's  canal. 

Puget  Sound  Clams. — An  old  settler  writes  thus  to 
the  Olympia n-.Trib nine relative  to  the  Olympia  clams:  "These 
mammoth  clams,  that  live  only  in  deep  water  and  are  only 
obtainable  at  the  lowest  tides,  have  a  large,  round  opening 
at  one  end  of  the  shell,  through  which  they  expand  them- 
selves, and  I  have  seen  them  draw  out  through  this  open- 
ing, each  one  reaching  the  full  diameter  of  an  ordinary 
wash  tub;  and  as  to  the  "steaks"  that  may  be  cut  from  the 
neck  of  one  big  clam,  dipped  in  egg  and  crumbs  and  fried, 
they  would  make  a  delicious  breakfast  for  a  family  of  four 
or  five,  equal  to  chicken's  breast  so  served.  In  fact,  these 
clams  used  to  be  called  Puget  sound  chickens.  We  have 
not  so  many  Indians  hereabouts  in  these  days  to  gather 
the  big  clams  and  bring  them  to  our  doors,  but  probably 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Butler's  Cove  they  may  still  be 
found  at  lowest  tide." 

Centralia  (1,961  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population  2,500) 

an  active  trading  town,  doing  business  with  the  farmers 
in  the  Chehalis  country.  The  neighboring  valley  lands 
produce  large  crops  of  all   the  small   grains,  Indian  corn 


$74  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

and  potatoes.  Apples,  plums  and  pears,  and  the  smaller 
fruits  flourish.  Several  saw-mills  are  engaged  in  manu- 
facturing cedar,  spruce  and  pine  lumber,  and  there  are  a 
number  of  shingle  mills  making  cedar  shingles.  A 
branch  of  the  Northern  Pacific  runs  eastward  down  the 
valley  of  the  Chehalis  to  Montesano  and  Aberdeen  on 
that  river,  and  ends  at  Oscosta,  on  Gray's  harbor.  A 
local  railroad  used  mainly  for  logging  runs  eastward 
towards  the  Cascade  mountains. 

Chehalis  (1,965  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population  2,500). 
This  is  a  thriving  town,  supported  by  the  fine  agricultural 
country  of  the  Chehalis  valley.  It  is  the  county  seat  of 
Lewis  county,  and  the  seat  of  the  State  reform  school.  A 
Northern  Pacific  branch,  described  elsewhere,  runs  from 
Chehalis  eastward  to  South  Bend,  a  Pacific  seaport  town, 
on  Willapa  harbor.  Chehalis  makes  furniture,  lumber, 
shingles  and  flour. 

Winlock,  Castle  Rock  and  Kelso  are  prosperous 
small  towns  in  the  Cowlitz  valley,  engaged  in  lumber  man- 
ufacturing and  in  trade  with  the  farmers  in  the  valley. 
Old  orchards  show  that  this  region  has  been  settled  many 
years.  In  fact,  the  pioneers  went  in  from  Portland  before 
the  State  of  Washington  was  set  off  from  Oregon. 

Kalama  (2,016  miles  from  St.  Paul  and  40  miles  from 
Portland),  on  the  north  bank  of  the  river,  is  the  county 
seat  of  Cowlitz  county,  and  has  300  inhabitants.  At  one 
time  this  place  had  the  ambition  to  become  the  commer- 
cial metropolis  of  the  Columbia  valley,  and  town  lots  were 
sold  in  the  forests  at  high  prices.  Steamboats  plying  be- 
tween Portland  and  Astoria  call  at  Kalama. 

After  the  train  leaves  the  huge  transfer  boat  on  the 
south  bank  of  the  Columbia  river  it  runs  through  a  tim- 
bered country  nearly  all    the    way  to  Portland,  with  occa- 


Through    Washington,  275 

sional  clearings  and  farm  settlements.  In  clear  weather 
superb  views  may  be  enjoyed  from  the  train  windows  of 
Mount  St.  Helens  and  Mount  Hood.  St.  Helens  has  a 
form  like  a  sugar  loaf  and  is  about  9,000  feet  high.  Hood, 
more  distant,  has  a  sharp  pyramidal  peak  and  an  elevation 
of  about  11,000  feet.  These  gigantic  mountains  are  cov- 
ered with  snow  during  the  entire  year. 

By  way  of  Tenino — Incase  the  traveler  goes  from 
Tacoma  to  Portland  by  the  other  or  westernmost  line  of 
the  railroad,  he  will  enjoy  at  Yelm  Prairie,  twenty-five 
miles  from  Tacoma,  a  revelation  of  unsurpassed  grandeur, 
provided  the  sky  be  cloudless,  in  the  view  of  Mount  Ta- 
coma, the  loftiest  of  all  the  snow  mountains.  As  the  train 
rushes  onward,  occasional  breaks  in  the  forest  allow  the 
sight  of  this  snow-clad  peak  to  a  great  advantage.  It  is 
about  forty  miles  distant,  although  its  vast  bulk  is  so  dis- 
tinct that  it  seems  much  nearer  than  that. 

A  fine  view  of  Mount  Adams,  away  to  the  eastward,  on 
the  further  side  of  the  Cascade  range,  is  to  be  obtained  at 
several    points    as    the    train  goes    southward.     It    is  seen 

>ss  the  wooded  valley  of  the  Nisqually,  its  white  mass 
in  bold  relief  against  the  sky,  its  sides  seamed  in  summer 
with  outcropping  rock  ridges,  the  hollows  being  filled 
with  never-melting  snow. 

Tenino  (1,950  miles  from  St.  Paul). — The  Olympia  & 
Chehalis  Valley  railroad,  a  narrow-gauge  line,  fifteen 
miles  long,  owned  by  an  independent  corporation,  con- 
nects Olympia,  the  capital  of  Washington,  and  the  county 
seat  of  Thurston  county,  with  the  track  of  the  Northern 
fie  railroad  at  Tenino.     Here  are  quarries  of   excellent 

v  sandstone. 

Bucoda  (1,954  miles  from  St.  Paul)    is   a   coal    mining 


2?6  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

town  with  a  population  of  about  500.     The  coal  is  bitumi- 
nous and  is  used  for  locomotive  and  domestic  fuel. 

Portland  (2,056  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population,  90,- 
000)  is  the  oldest  commercial  metropolis  and  railroad  cen- 
ter of  the  Pacific  Northwest,  and  is  the  largest  city  of  the 
Pacific  Coast  next  to  San  Francisco.  It  is  a  beautiful  city, 
well  built  in  both  its  business  and  residence  districts,  and 
standing  upon  a  gentle  slope  stretching  from  the  bank  of 
the  Willamette  river  westward,  for  a  distance  of  about  two 
miles,  to  a  range  of  steep,  wooded  hills.  The  city  extends 
for  about  the  same  distance  up  and  down  the  river.  Its 
residence  streets  are  shaded  with  maples  and  ash,  elms, 
horse-chestnuts  and  other  shade  trees,  and  most  of  the 
houses  front  upon  lawns  and  flower  gardens.  Indeed> 
Portland  is  a  city  of  flowers  and  foliage,  the  mildness  of 
the  climate  and  moisture  of  the  atmosphere  causing  vege- 
tation to  flourish.  The  winter  climate  is  so  mild  that 
roses  usually  bloom  until  the  first  of  January. 

The  situation  of  Portland  was  determined  by  the  fact 
that  the  Willamette  valley  was  the  first  settled  portion  of 
Oregon,  and  the  commercial  city  of  the  State  naturally 
sprang  np  at  the  point  nearest  to  the  wheat  fields  of  Will- 
amette valley  to  which  sea-going  ships  could  get  access. 
This  point  was  not  on  the  Columbia  river,  but  as  far  up 
the  Willamette  as  vessels  of  deep  draught  could  go.  Two 
lines  of  railroad  belonging  to  the  Southern  Pacific  system 
terminating  here  penetrate  the  Willamette  valley,  draining 
the  country  on  both  sides  of  the  Willamette.  One  of 
these  lines  extends  southward  to  the  California  boundary 
and  thence  to  San  Francisco.  A  system  of  narrow-gauge 
railroad  devised  to  furnish  transportation  facilities  to  por- 
tions of  the  valley  not  reached  by  the  other  roads,  also  ter- 
minates in   Portland.     The  main   line  of  the   Union    Pac- 


278  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

ific  company  extends  eastward  to  Omaha,  and  by  means 
of  numerous  branches  reaches  nearly  all  the  productive 
country  of  Eastern  Oregon,  and  a  large  part  of  Eastern 
Washington.  Westward  from  Portland  the  Northern 
Pacific  main  line  reaches  down  the  Columbia  forty  miles, 
and  thence  northward  to  Puget  sound.  Ocean  steam- 
ships ply  regularly  between  Portland  and  San  Francisco, 
and  river  steamboats  run  on  the  Columbia  and  Willam- 
ette. Portland  is  thus  a  focus  of  the  transportation 
system  of  the  Pacific  Northwest.  It  is  also  an  important 
port  for  ocean  commerce,  and  a  large  part  of  the  wheat 
surplus  of  Oregon  and  Washington  goes  from  the  wharves 
of  Portland  by  sailing  vessels  to  Liverpool  and  other 
European  ports. 

Portland  has  many  handsome  business  blocks  which 
would  be  creditable  to  any  city  in  the  East.  It  exports 
about  eight  million  bushels  of  wheat  and  over  500,000 
barrels  of  flour  annually.  Portland  has  a  good  electric 
and  cable  street-car  system,  water,  gas  and  electric  light 
works,  a  public  library,  daily  newspapers,  great  wharves 
and  warehouses,  numerous  handsome  churches,  and  many 
spacious  public  school  edifices,  the  largest  of  which,  the 
High  School  building,  is  the  handsomest  public  school 
structure  on  the  Pacific  coast.  The  exhibition  building  is 
a  conspicuous  structure. 

The  principal  hotel  is  "  The  Portland,"  which  occupies 
an  entire  city  block  and  is  built  in  the  form  of  a  letter  H 
so  that  every  room  looks  out  on  a  street.  It  is  unsurpassed 
in  its  appointments  by  any  hotel  on  the  Pacific  coast.  A 
fine  view  of  the  city  can  be  had  from  the  tower  of  the  Ore- 
gonian  building.  Tourists  are  recommended  to  take  the 
cable  road  to  Portland  Heights.  It  ascends  an  inclined 
plane  of  rather  alarming   steepness   to    a    lofty    residence 


In  Oregon.  279 

suburb  from  which  a  landscape  of  wonderful  extent  and 
beauty  can  be  seen,  embracing  both  the  Willamette  and 
Columbia  rivers  and  the  snow  peaks  of  Mount  Hood  and 
Mount  St.  Helens.  Tourists  will  find  much  of  interest  in 
the  life  of  the  Chinese  quarter  and  should  visit  the  Chinese 
stores,  the  Joss  house  and  the  theatre.  There  are  about 
20,000  Chinese  in  Portland.  An  agreeable  excursion  can 
be  made  by  electric  car  across  the  Willamette  to  Albina. 
The  following  is  from  a  recent  description  of  Portland  in 
llic  Northwest  Magazine: 

u  There  is  always  a  natural  capital  to  every  geographi- 
cal division  of  the  country  to  which  each  feature  points 
with  index  finger,  and  in  which  is  typified  the  supporting 
territory.  The  commercial  and  social  center  of  these  fer- 
tile valleys  of  the  Cascade  mountains  is  Portland,  a  city  as 
marked  in  its  appearance  as  is  the  country  itself.  It  lies 
along  the  crescent  of  the  river,  nestles  upon  the  sides  of 
the  encircling  hills  and  spreads  over  the  tableland  on  the 
opposite  banks.  Its  business  streets,  its  wharves,  its  resi- 
dences all  tell,  in  a  language  which  any  thinker  may  read, 
its  past,  its  present  and  its  future.  To  the  traveler  from 
the  East  whose  eyes  have  been  dimmed  by  the  heat  radia- 
ting from  sandy  mesas  on  which  the  sparse  sage-brush 
serves  only  to  emphasize  the  dreariness  and  desolation, the 
valleys  leading  to  Portland  seem  like  the  vales  of  Tempe 
and  the  city  appears  at  first  sight  like  some  municipality 
transported  intact  lrom  New  England.  Closer  investiga- 
tion shows  thai  this  similarity  has  many  exceptions,  and, 
with  all  .  the  differences  are  in  favor  of   this  young 

a  ot  "the  I  js.     There  is  more  coloring  in  the  West- 

ern City,  more  of  the  picturesque  while  nothing  is  lacking 
in  the  staunch  qualities  for  which  the  Atlantic  coast  cities 
are  famous.      Life  is  brighter,    fresher  and  more  vigorous 


280  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

on  the  Western  coast,  and  this  fact  is  everywhere  apparent. 
The  somber  blocks  of  residences  are  here  noticeable  by 
their  absence.  Each  residence  has  about  it  an  individuality 
which  is  as  surprising  as  delightful.  In  the  dooryards  are 
rosebushes  whose  blooms  would  shame  the  choicest  flowers 
of  Eastern  hot-houses.  Vines  clamber  over  gates  and  hide 
the  fronts  or  sides  of  many  homes  in  a  veil  of  dark  ivy  or 
of  the  lighter  Virginia  creeper.  Verandas  tell  the  story  of 
an  atmosphere  like  velvet,  whose  caressing  touch  is  sought 
in  outdoor  hours.  Bright  colored  awnings  add  their  vari- 
ety to  the  scene  and  hammocks  are  found  everywhere. 
Now  and  then  palms  are  discovered  with  their  great  fronds 
lending  a  tropical  trait  to  the  picture  which  is  well  nigh 
deceptive  unless  reflection  comes  to  the  rescue.  The  great 
hills  back  of  the  city,  with  their  rugged  fronts  and  coatings 
of  rough  fir,  bring  back  the  imagination  and  emphasize  the 
fact  that  here  the  natural  surroundings  act  as  a  tonic  and 
a  comfort,  not  as  a  narcotic.  The  miles  of  wharves  and 
warehouses,  above  which  tower  the  slender  masts  of  ocean 
vessels,  the  great  elevators,  the  shipyard,  the  noise  of 
heavy  laden  trucks,  the  screeching  of  switch  engines,  the 
rumble  of  trains,  all  corroborate  the  same  impression. 

The  site  of  a  city  is  as  susceptible  of  analysis  as  is  the 
camp  of  an  army.  The  battalions  of  trade  may  make  a 
temporary  bivouac  anywhere,  but  when  they  form  a  perma- 
nent base  of  supplies  they  do  so  for  strategic  reasons, 
whether  consciously  or  unconsciously  acknowledged. 
Generals  have  made  mistakes  and  so  have  pioneers,  but 
Portland  is  not  one  of  them.  Whether  its  location  was  an 
accident  or  a  judgment,  its  prestige  is  certain  and  its 
future  can  be  read  in  its  surroundings. 

Ages  ago  the  elements  began  to  carve  out  the  future  lo- 
cation and  territory   of    Portland    from    the    earth    itself. 


252  The  Northern   Pacific  Railroad. 

Within  the  arms  of  the  Blue  mountains  was  a  great  sea. 
As  the  waters  sought  an  outlet  to  the  greater  ocean,  they 
burst  through  the  hemming  barrier  in  a  mighty  stream, 
which  even  to-day  is  famous  for  its  size — the  Columbia. 
From  all  the  arms  of  that  sea,  reaching  into  what  are  now 
magnificent  valleys,  came  other  streams  which  cut  through 
the  silted  strata  of  the  old  sea  bed  and  joined  the  outlet. 
Thus  by  the  hand  of  nature  were  the  different  territories 
connected,  pointing  clearly  to  a  common  center.  As  if  the 
invention  of  man  had  been  foreseen  and  provided  for,  the 
coming  of  the  railroads  did  not  affect  geographical  values. 
Engineers  found  that  erosion  had  done  more  fotthem  than 
thousands  of  navies  could  have  accomplished  in  scores  of 
years  and  they  wisely  followed  the  construction  forces  of 
ages  past.  The  iron  bound  track  crept  through  the  passes 
of  the  mountains  along  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  the  con- 
ditions which  pointed  to  Portland  as  a  commercial  center 
were  only  doubled  in  strength,  and  nature  and  science 
have  riveted  to  the  city  the  wonderfully  fertile  districts  of 
the  mountains  by  furnishing  natural  and  artificial  highways 
to  her  marts. 

The  origin  of  Portland  is  in  the  main  prosaic.  In  the 
earlier  days  when  vessels  depended  more  upon  chance  and 
barter,  a  venturesome  captain  turned  inquisitively  up  the 
broad  Columbia  to  dispose  of.  his  goods.  The  ocean- 
traveling  hull  found  ample  welcome  in  the  river  which  it 
traversed  until  it  reached  its  practical  level  of  navigation. 
Here  it  reached  its  great  tributary,  the  Willamette,  which 
it  followed  until  a  trading  station  was  begun,  the  stock 
being  the  cargo  which  had  thus  been  brought  nearer  the 
consumer.  This  point  naturally  became  the  center  of  dis- 
tribution for  the  country.  Vessels  came  in  greater  num- 
bers with  each  succeeding  year.     Wagon  roads  were  built 


Multnom  h  Falls,  Columbia  River. 


284  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

to  make  the  post  accessible,  and  steamer  lines  were  estab- 
lished. Trade  increased,  population  multiplied,  and  addi- 
tional buildings  were  erected  until  the  little  commercial 
sapling  showed  many  concentric  rings  of  growth  and  the 
trading  station  had  become  a  city  thoroughly  metropolitan 
in  character. 

Subsequent  events  proved  the  wisdom  of  a  choice  of  site 
which  is  so  advantageous  it  might  well  be  characterized  as 
inspired.  The  Columbia  rushes  seaward  with  a  velocity 
of  twelve  to  fifteen  miles  an  hour,  and  the  heavy  stream 
would  nearly  sweep  vessels  from  their  fastening  at  wharves 
along  its  banks.  In  spring,  too,  ice  would  hurt  the  refuge 
and  would  be  a  source  of  infinite  trouble  to  shipping.  All 
such  annoyance  is  avoided  by  turning  into  the  broad  avenue 
of  the  Willamette.  Here  is  depth,  a  gentler  flow,  and,  in 
times  of  high  water,  the  river  instead  of  becoming  a 
torrent  is  transformed  into  a  great  lake  as  far  as  the  falls 
at  Oregon  City  above  Portland.  Thus  is  Portland  located 
on  a  navigable  cul  de  sac  connected  by  a  magnificent  watery 
highway  with  the  Pacific. 

River  Excursions  from  Portland —A  number  of  very 
attractive  steamboat  excursions  may  be  made  from  Port- 
land .  One  is  up  the  Willamette  to  the  falls  at  Oregon  City. 
Here  the  river  makes  a  perpendicular  leap  of  about  fifty 
feet,  forming  one  of  the  most  magnificent  cataracts  in  the 
world.  The  Government  has  constructed  a  canal  around 
the  falls,  with  locks  cut  in  the  solid  rock.  A  very  curious 
sight  may  be  seen  when  the  salmon  are  running  up  the 
river.  Thousands  of  these  brilliant-scaled  fish  attempt  to 
jump  up  the  falls  at  points  where  there  are  projections  oi 
rock.  A  few  succeed  but  many  fall  back  wounded  into  the 
whirlpools  below. 

Another  interesting  trip  is  to  go  down  the  Willamette  and 


tumbia  River. 


286  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

up  the  Columbia  as  far  as  the  Cascades,  where  the  Govern- 
ment has  been  engaged  for  nearly  a  lifetime  in  slowly  exca- 
vating a  ship  canal  in  the  rocky  south  bank  of  the  river. 
A  stretch  of  the  grandest  scenery  of  the  Columbia  is 
passed.  On  the  south,  mountain  summits  stand  like  a 
wall,  grouped  at  times  like  an  amphitheatre,  at  other  times 
assuming  romantic  shapes,  and  frequently  affording  views 
of  falling  waters  that  are  very  beautiful.  Here  is  Oneonta 
Fall,  800  feet  of  sheet  silver,  a  ribbon  of  mist  waving  in  the 
wind.  Multnomah  Fall  is  double.  The  water  plunges  sev- 
eral hundred  feet,  gathers  itself  together,  and  plunges 
again,  about  800  feet  in  all.  There  are  several  other  cas- 
cades of  less  note  that  never  fail,  and  in  early  spring  the 
face  of  the  cliffs  is  threaded  with  them.  A  few  miles  west- 
ward are  the  Pillars  of  Hercules,  two  columns  of  rock  sev- 
eral hundred  feet  in  height,  between  which  the  train 
passes,  as  through  a  colossal  portal,  to  the  more  open  lands 
beyond.  Near  by  is  Rooster  rock,  rising  out  of  the  river, 
and  pointing  upward  like  a  mighty  index  finger. 

The  Cascades  are  in  about  the  center  of  the  Cascade 
mountain  range.  The  river,  that  has  flowed  placidly  all 
the  way  from  The  Dalles,  has  become  wider,  and  spreads 
out  in  unbroken  stillness,  no  motion  being  apparent.  It 
is  gathering  itself  for  the  plunge  over  the  Cascades.  In  a 
moment  it  changes  from  a  placid  lake  to  swift  rapids,  and 
soon  becomes  a  foaming  torrent  as  the  fall  increases  and 
the  waters  encounter  boulders  in  the  stream. 

Immediately  at  the  Cascades  the  scenery  is  very  fine. 
The  mountains  are  grand,  standing  on  the  south  like  walls 
of  adamant,  and  lifted  to  towering  heights,  their  sides  cleft 
open  at  intervals  by  deep  ravines,  the  rock  ledges  of  which 
are  hidden  by  firs.  Some  of  the  rocky  pinnacles  and  tur- 
rets along  the  heights  are  of  strange,  stern  architecture. 


$88  The  JVorthern  Pacific  Railroad. 

On  the  north  the  mountains  recede,  and  pyramidal  forms 
contrast  with  tremendous  frowning  outlines,  that  stand  like 
some  Titanic  fortress.  There  is  a  fine  view  of  the  Cas- 
cades from  the  train,  and  of  the  mountains  on  the  north. 
At  railroad  speed  the  Lower  Cascades  are  soon  passed, 
and  Bonneville,  the  point  at  which  the  steamboats  on  the 
lower  river  make  their  landing,  is  reached. 

Near  the  Upper  Cascades  on  the  Washington  side  of  the 
river,  on  a  point  of  land  that  juts  out  so  as  to  make  a  good 
defensive  position,  there  is  still  standingan  old  block  house, 
built  forty  years  ago,  when  the  Indians  were  more  num- 
erous than  peaceable.  War  broke  out  all  along  the  coast, 
from  British  Columbia  to  California,  in  1855.  The  Indians 
had  some  sort  of  a  unison,  and  outbreaks  were  almost 
simultaneous  for  that  distance  of  800  miles,  though  some 
of  the  more  powerful  tribes  refused  to  join  the  alliance, 
and  gave  notice  of  danger.  At  that  time  the  Cascades 
were  already  important  as  the  portage  where  all  things 
bound  up  the  river  had  to  make  a  transit.  Suddenly  the 
outbreak  came.  The  blockhouse  became  the  refuge  of  all 
settlers,  who  were  defended  by  the  male  population,  and 
by  a  handful  of  soldiers,  stationed  there  at  the  time  under 
command  of  a  young  lieutenant  named  Sheridan.  So  the 
legend  of  the  Indian  and  the  wonders  of  nature  are  supple, 
mented  by  a  bit  of  history  that  has  for  its  heroic  character 
the  famous  Gen.  Phil.  Sheridan,  who  afterward  became 
one  of  the  most  conspicuous  figures  in  the  great  civil  war. 

The  Indians  have  a  tradition  that  once  the  great  snow 
mountains,  Hood  and  Adams,  stood  close  to  the  river  at  the 
Cascades,  with  a  natural  arch  of  stone  bridging  one  to  the 
other.  The  mountains  quarreled,  threw  out  stones,  ashes 
and  fire,  and,  in  their  anger  with  each  other,  demolished 
the  arch.     Before  that  time,  the  Indians  say,  their  fathers 


In  Oregon.  289 

had  passed  up  and  down  beneath  the  arch  in  their  canoes, 
and  the  stream  was  navigable;  but  when  the  arch  fell  it 
choked  the  river,  and  created  the  rapids  that  now  exist.  The 
legend  goes  on  to  say  that  the  "  Sahullah  Tyhee,"  or  Great 
Spirit,  was  so  angry  with  the  contending  mountains  that 
he  hurled  them  north  and  south,  where  they  stand  to-day. 

This  legend  has  some  foundation,  judging  from  the 
present  conditions.  It  is  evident,  from  the*  state  of  the 
shores  and  the  submersion  of  forests,  that  some  great  con- 
vulsion has  occurred  and  thrown  down  the  rocky  walls  ad- 
joining the  river.  Just  above  the  Cascades  the  view  in- 
cludes beautiful  islands,  not  far  from  the  brink  of  the 
rapids ;  and  between  the  islands  and  the  rapids  some 
ancient  forest  has  been  submerged,  with  the  tree  trunks 
still  standing  beneath  the  waves.  It  is  commonly  known 
to  river  men  and  steamboat  men  that  this  submerged  forest 
stands  there,  and  it  is  often  pointed  out  to  travelers.  How 
long  since  it  grew  on  the  shore,  no  one  knows.  Indian 
legends  are  never  accurate,  and  we  can  only  surmise  that 
it  was  long  centuries  before  the  white  man  came. 

In  connection  with  this  legend,  there  are  scientific  data 
to  establish  the  fact  that  some  great  convulsion  has  taken 
place  and  blocked  the  stream.  When  the  rock  walls  fell 
and  choked  the  channel,  the  effect  was  to  raise  the  waters 
and  deaden  the  flow  for  eight  miles  above.  The  work  of 
engineers  who  have  built  and  superintended  the  railways 
constructed  around  the  Cascades  for  twenty  years  back, 
has  demonstrated  that,  for  a  distance  of  three  miles  on  the 
south,  a  great  spur  of  the  mountains  is  moving  toward  the 
river.  The  engineers  who  made  the  examinations  connected 
with  the  canal  and  locks  the  Government  is  now  construc- 
ting around  the  Cascades,  have  determined  that  the  im- 
pending mountain  of  basalt  rests  on  a  bed  of  conglomerate, 


290  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

with  a  substratum  of  sandstone,  pitching  toward  the  river. 
As  the  river  wears  away  under  the  basalt,  the  rock  masses 
move  toward  it.  It  is  very  possible  that  at  some  remote 
period,  when  the  river  had  worn  out  a  gorge,  and  precipices 
lined  the  shore,  the  waters  undermined  this  wall  and  aided 
its  descent  on  the  incline  of  sandstone  and  conglomerate, 
so  as  to  produce  the  effect  which  is  seen,  and  confined  to  a 
short  distance  the  fall  that  previously  covered  fifteen  miles. 
Still  another  enjoyable  river  trip  is  to  Astoria,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Columbia,  a  distance  of  a  little  less  than  a 
hundred  miles  from  Portland.  The  Columbia,  on  its  lower 
course,  is  a  mighty  flood,  widening  as  it  nears  the  ocean. 
Its  banks  are  covered  with  sombre  fir  forests  and  rise  abrupt- 
ly to  low  mountain  ridges.  Astoria  is  the  principal  center  of 
the  salmon  fisheries  and  is  also  an  important  lumber  man- 
ufacturing place.  The  level  ground  at  the  foot  of  the 
steep  hills  that  border  the  river  is  of  such  scanty  width  that 
the  business  streets  are  mainly  built  over  the  water  on 
piles,  the  roadways  being  of  stout  plank.  Under  the 
streets  and  buildings  may  be  heard  the  swash  of  the  rising 
and  falling  tide.  Many  of  the  fishermen  save  the  cost  of 
building  sites  by  living  in  house-boats  which  they  moor  on 
vacant  water  lots.  Sea-going  ships,  carrying  wheat,  often 
take  a  part  of  their  cargo  here  from  lighters,  in  order  to 
have  a  less  draft  coming  down  the  river  from  Portland 
than  they  require  when  fully  loaded.  The  canning  of  sal- 
mon is  carried  on  at  numerous  establishments  along  the 
river  front.  Fishing  is  done  out  .on  the  bar  in  small  boats 
manned  by  men  from  almost  every  maritime  nation  of  the 
world.  Astoria  has  a  population  of  about  8,000.  The  forts 
at  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  the  enormous  jetty  three 
miles  long,  built  out  into  the  ocean  to  deepen  the  entrance, 
are  well  worth  visiting. 


LAKE   SUPERIOR    DIVISION. 


Ashland,  Wis.,  to  Stap.les,  Minn.,  206  miles — Connect- 
ing at  Staples  with  Main  Line  Trains. 


This  line  runs  through  a  pine  forest  country  for  its  en- 
tire length.  It  skirts  the  shore  of  Lake  Superior  from 
Ashland  to  Duluth,  76  miles,  then  follows  the  course  of  the 
St.  Louis  river  for  about  20  miles,  and  afterwards  runs 
across  the  plateau  of  Northern  Minnesota.  At  Aitkin  it 
strikes  the  Mississippi  river,  and  at  Brainerd  it  crosses 
that  stream. 

Ashland,  Wis.,  (population  15,000)  is  the  county  seat 
of  Ashland  county.  Ashland  is  also  the  extreme  eastern 
terminus  of  the  Northern  Pacific  railroad  system.  It  is 
an  important  shipping  and  manufacturing  point.  This 
prosperous  town  has  a  beautiful  location  on  the  pictur- 
esque Bay  of  Chequamegon,  facing  the  Apostle  islands.  It 
has  an  excellent  harbor  and  considerable  lake  commerce. 
It  is  the  northern  terminus  of  the  Wisconsin  Central  rail- 
d,  running  to  Milwaukee  and  lo  many  important  towns 
in  the  center  of  the  State.  The  Milwaukee,  Lake  Shore  & 
Western  line  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  system  also 
terminates  here.  The  Chicago,  St.  Paul,  Minneapolis  & 
Omaha  system  has  a  line  extending  from  St. Paul  to  Wash- 
burn, a  few  miles  distant,  across  the  bay,  with  a  branch  to 
tnd,      Ashland  is  the  largest  shipping  port  of  iron  ore 

291 


292  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

in  the  United  States.  The  ore  is  brought  from  the  mines  on 
the  Gogebic  range,  about  30  miles  distant,  by  two  lines  of 
railroad,  the  Wisconsin  Central,  and  the  Milwaukee,  Lake 
Shore  &  Western;  and  is  shipped  by  steam  and  sailing  ves- 
sels from  three  immense  ore  docks,  one  of  which  belongs 
to  the  former  railroad  company,  and  two  to  the  latter. 
These  docks  handle  over  1,000,000  tons  of  ore  annually, 
affording  cargoes  to  nearly  800  vessels,  the  greater  part  of 
which  are  bound  for  Cleveland,  O.  The  docks  and  ap- 
proaches are  over  3,000  feet  long,  and  the  docks  proper 
are  1,405  feet  long.  On  each  side  are  117  pockets  holding 
120  tons  each.  The  capacity  of  each  dock  is  28,000  tons, 
and  each  required  over  5,000,000  feet  of  timber  for  its 
construction.  Ashland  manufactures  a  great  deal  of  lum- 
ber and  makes  charcoal,  and  iron  and  steel  from  the  ore 
of  the  Gogebic  range.  A  blast  furnace  makes  charcoal 
iron.  Ashland  has  a  great  reputation  as  a  summer  resort. 
It  has  a  number  of  hotels;  the  Chequamegon  house  is  one 
of  the  best  summer  hotels  in  the  country,  and  is  filled  with 
guests  during  the  warm  season.  The  cool  breezes  from 
Lake  Superior  make  the  summer  climate  always  agreeable 
and  the  opportunities  for  yachting,  rowing  and  fishing 
upon  the  beautiful  water,  and  for  drives  through  the  pine 
forests,  render  Ashland  a.  delightful  place  in  which  to 
spend  the  summer  months.  Steamers,  with  excellent  pas- 
senger accommodations  run  to  Duluth  and  to  all  lower 
lake  ports  as  far  as  Buffalo. 

Trout  Streams. — Between  Ashland  and  Superior  the 
Northern  Pacific  road  runs  through  a  picturesque  forest 
region,  traversed  by  many  small  trout  streams  which  flow 
into  Lake  Superior.  The  most  frequented  trout  stream  on 
this  road  is  Brule  river,  which  is  much  visited  during  the 
fishing  season  by  sportsmen  from  St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis. 


'294  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

A  St.  Paul  club  has  erected  a  rude,  but  comfortable,  log 
house  for  the  use  of  its  members.  Boats  and  Indian  guides 
can  be  procured  there. 

Superior,  Wis,  (Population  30,000.) — The  present 
city  of  Superior  was  formed  a  few  years  ago  by  the  con- 
solidation of  two  municipalities — Superior,  commonly 
called  Old  Superior,  which  dates  back  to  the  fifties  and 
occupied  the  plateau  facing  the  entrance  to  the  Bay  of 
Superior,  and  West  Superior,  a  new  town  started  in  1884 
on  the  Bay  of  St.  Louis  facing  Duluth.  These  two  places 
grew  together,  and  having  common  interests  naturally 
united  their  local  governments.  The  consolidated  city 
occupies  a  harbor  frontage  on  the  three  bays  of  Allouez, 
Superior  and  St.  Louis,  of  over  ten  miles  in  length,  and 
has  become  one  of  the  most  important  commercial,  milling 
and  manufacturing  points  in  the  Northwest.  In  some 
respects  Duluth  and  Superior  form  a  single  city.  The 
wheat  stored  in  the  elevators  of  one  is  bought  and  sold  in 
the  grain  exchange  of  the  other.  Vessels  may  take  part  of 
their  cargo  at  one  place  and  the  rest  at  the  other.  The 
great  coal  companies  which  furnish  from  Ohio  and  Penn- 
sylvania mines  the  fuel  of  the  entire  Northwest  have  docks 
on  both  sides  of  the  harbor.  There  is  a  constant  flow  of 
people  back  and  forth  between  the  two  towns,  bent  on 
errands  of  business  or  pleasure.  Yet  no  future  union  is 
possible  by  reason  of  the  barrier  of  the  State  boundary 
line,  and  each  place  seeks  earnestly  its  own  growth  and 
advantage  and  is  jealous  of  the  success  of  its  neighbor 
across  the  water.  Duluth  has  at  present  about  50,000 
inhabitants  and  Superior  about  30,000.  Each  has  grown 
with  marvelous  rapidity,  but  the  conversion  of  Superior 
from  a  dead  village  into  a  city  did  not  begin  until  after 
Duluth  had  secured    its  docks,  its  elevators,   its   railroads 


296  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

and  its  shipping  movement;  and  when  it  did  begin  it  took 
hold  of  a  tract  of  fores#t  and  changed  it  in  a  few  years  to  a 
well-built  town,  with  handsome  streets,  big  factories, 
towering  elevators  and  enormous  docks. 

The  site  of  Superior  is  remarkably  favorable  for  city 
building,  and  this  fact  has  been  a  strong  factor  in  its 
growth.  It  is  a  plateau  sloping  just  enough  to  the  water 
for  good  drainage,  and  traversed  here  and  there  by  shallow 
ravines  or  coulees  which  serve  as  aids  to  the  drainage 
system.  On  two  sides  of  the  broad  triangle  of  land  which 
the  city  occupies  there  is  deep  navigable  water,  and  reach- 
ing nearly  a  mile  inland  is  a  long  arm  or  inlet  known  as 
Howard's  Pocket,  on  which  is  located  the  great  steel  barge 
plant.  A  shorter  inlet  called  Tower  Slip  affords  water 
frontage  for  the  new  flouring  mills  at  the  West  End. 
Along  the  Bay  of  St.  Louis  are  the  five  grain  elevators, 
the  huge  coal  docks,  the  oil  docks  and  the  merchandise 
docks,  and  there  is  ample  room  for  the  further  march  of 
commerce  along  the  shore  line  up  the  bay  towards  the 
steel  works.  The  sawmills  and  lumber  yards  occupy  both 
the  water  fronts  of  Conner's  Point.  On  the  Bay  of 
Superior  side  of  the  city  there  is  a  great  deal  of  unoc- 
cupied water  front  for  future  docks  and  factories  between 
the  Point  and  the  new  flouring  mills  at  the  East  End. 
The  level  ground  of  the  plateau  gives  the  numerous  rail- 
ways ample  space  for  their  tracks,  yards  and  freight  ware- 
houses, and  their  spur  tracks  run  out  upon  the  docks  and 
alongside  the  mills  and  factories.  The  great,  notable  and 
unique  advantage  of  the  site  of  Superior  for  the  develop- 
ment of  manufacturing  and  commercial  movement  lies  in 
the  fact  that  every  sort  of  concern  requiring  good  shipping 
facilities  can  build  its  plant  where  the  lake  steamers  can 
load   and   unload  on  one  side  and  the  freight  cars  on   the 


298  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

other.  It  is  this  fact,  supplemented  by  liberal  and  ener- 
getic management  of  town  site  interests,  that  has  produced 
the  surprising  growth  of  the  past  few  years. 

Two  manufacturing  plants  of  very  great  importance 
were  located  in  West  Superior  at  an  early  date  in  the 
history  of  the  place.  The  first  was  Capt.  McDougall's 
shipyard  for  the  building  of  his  peculiar  craft  known  as 
the  whaleback,  and  the  second  was  the  steel  plant  where 
the  ribs,  beams  and  plates  of  these  vessels  are  made.  These 
concerns  alone  employ  workmen  enough  to  make,  with 
their  families,  a  considerable  town.  The  grain  elevators, 
the  coal  docks  and  the  saw  mills  came  about  the  same  time 
to  employ  another  army  of  people,  so  that  the  new  town 
sprang  as  if  by  miracle,  under  the  magic  touch  of  enter- 
prise, into  vigorous  life.  As  an  economical  carrier  the 
whaleback  has  made  for  itself  a  place  in  the  face  of  all 
conservative  scepticism  and  opposition  It  is  capacious, 
fast  and  seaworthy.  Ugly  in  appearance  and  devoid  of 
all  attempts  at  ornament  and  beauty,  it  represents  in 
marine  architecture  the  materialistic  spirit  of  modern  times. 
It  is,  in  fact,  a  huge,  cigar-like  steel  tank,  with  machinery  in 
its  stern,  and  cabins  perched  above  for  the  housing  of  its 
crew.  Its  shape  offers  the  least  possible  resistance  to  winds 
and  waves.  No  opposing  force  of  air  or  water  strikes  it  at 
a  right  angle.  Everywhere  there  is  a  curved  surface  pre- 
sented to  ward  off  the  blows.  All  the  whalebacks  are 
exclusive  freight  boats  except  the  Christopher  Columbus, 
which  has  a  cabin  for  passengers  extending  over  its  whole 
length  and  supported  on  steel  turrets.  This  craft  found 
its  first  use  in  carrying  passengers  back  and  forth  between 
Chicago  and  the  World's  Fair  grounds.  Both  the  build- 
ing and  running  of  these  novel  craft  are  under  the  personal 
supervision  of  their  inventor,  Capt.  McDougall. 


Lake  Superior  Division.  299 

A  new  industry  came  to  Superior  in  1891  and  1892,  the 
future  influence  of  which  in  promoting  the  growth  of  the 
city  can  hardly  be  foretold.  A  general  conviction  that  the 
head  of  Lake  Superior  is  the  best  point  for  flour  milling  in 
the  United  States  had  been  gaining  ground  in  milling 
circles  for  some  years,  and  all  at  once  it  ripened  into 
action.  The  success  of  the  big  Imperial  mill  at  Duluth 
confirmed  the  theory.  During  the  years  named,  three 
large,  first-class  mills  were  erected  or  started  at  West 
Superior  and  three  more  at  the  East  End.  The  new  West 
End  mills  are  the  Freeman,  the  Grand  Republic  and  the 
Minkota,  with  a  combined  grinding  capacity  of  5,300 
barrels  daily.  At  the  East  End  the  new  mills  are  the 
Lake  Superior,  the  Listman  and  the  Anchor,  whose  com- 
bined capacity  is  6,500  barrels.  Add  the  old  Gill  &  Wright 
mill  at  the  West  End,  capacity  600  barrels,  and  we  have  a 
grinding  capacity  of  the  new  milling  centre  of  12,400 
barrels  a  day.  Add  to  this  the  capacity  of  the  two  mills  at 
Duluth,  6,500  barrels,  and  it  appears  that  the  head  of  the  lake 
now  has  a  capacity  of  18,900  barrels  a  day,  or  very  nearly 
half  the  capacity  of  the  mills  of  Minneapolis,  which  are  rated 
at  40,000  barrels.  This  is  a  surprising  development.  Yet 
it  is  a  natural  and  inevitable  result  of  the  settlement  of  the 
great  wheat  belt  of  the  Northwest  and  the  building  of 
railroads  to  the  point  where  the  deep-water  navigation  of 
the  great  lakes  penetrates  farthest  into  the  continent. 

Superiorisan  important  railroad  center,  and  ranks  among 
the  leading  shipping  ports  on  the  upper  lakes.     It  has  five 

;<:  grain  elevators  with  an  aggregate  capacity  of  8,250,000 
bushels,  two  immense  coal  docks,  and  a  merchandise  dock. 
As  a  manufacturing  town,  it  is  already  one  of  the  fore- 
most in  the  Northwest.  An  iron  and  steel  plant  was 
erected  in  1888  with  a   capital    of   two    millions  of  dollars. 


300  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

There  are  two  large  lumber  mills  which  make  an  annual 
cut  of  about  75,000,000  feet.  An  extensive  wagon  factory 
is  located  at  South  Superior  and  there  are  several  barrel 
factories.  The  coal  receipts  are  over  a  million  tons  a  year. 
Coke  ovens,  owned  by  the  Lehigh  company;  make  coke 
from  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  coal.  A  handsome  hotel,  of 
large  dimensions,  called  ''The  West  Superior/'  was  com- 
pleted in  1889.  The  railway  terminal  facilities  are  very 
extensive,  and  are  used  by  the  Northern  Pacific,  the  St. 
Paul  &  Duluth,  the  Eastern  Minnesota,  the  Chicago,  St. 
Paul,  Minneapolis  &  Omaha,  and  the  Duluth,  South  Shore  & 
Atlantic  roads.  Communication  is  had  with  Duluth  by  two 
lines  of  railway  and  by  steam  ferries.  A  recent  commercial 
development  of  much  importance  was  the  building  of  an 
enormous  iron  ore  dock  on  the  Bay  of  Allouez  for  the 
shipment  of  ore  from  the  Mesaba  range  and  the  building 
of  a  railroad  from  Superior  to  the  range. 

Duluth,  Minn.,  (population  60,000)  is  the  third  city  in 
Minnesota, and  is  one  of  the  most  important  wheat  markets 
and  wheat  shipping  points  in  the  world.  The  city  is  built 
upon  high  ground  overlooking  Lake  Superior  and  the 
bays  of  Superior  and  St.  Louis,  and  is  over  seven  miles 
long  from  its  extreme  eastern  suburbs  on  the  shore  of  the 
lake  to  its  western  limits  on  the  Bay  of  St.  Louis.  Its 
harbor  is  capacious  and  entirely  landlocked,  being  entered 
by  an  artificial  channel,  cut  across  a  long,  narrow  sandy 
peninsula,  known  as  "Minnesota  Point."  The  grain  ele- 
vators, which  are  the  most  conspicuous  structures  in  the 
commercial  district,  have  an  aggregate  capacity  of  about 
12,000,000  bushels.  The  neighboring  elevators  in  West 
Superior  are  operated  in  close  connection  with  the  Duluth 
elevators,  and  the  wheat  stored  and  handled  in  both  places 
is   represented  in  the  operations    of   the   Duluth   Board  of 


Lake  Superior  Division.  301 

Trade.  The  grain  is  shipped  in  steam  and  sailing  vessels 
of  heavy  tonnage;  a  steam  propeller  usually  taking  two  or 
three  sailing  craft  in  tow.  Most  of  the  wheat  shipments  are 
to  New  York  by  way  of  Buffalo  and  the  Erie  canal.  A  large 
grain  steamer,  with  a  capacity  of  90,000  bushels,  equivalent 
to  180  car  loads,  can  be  loaded  at  Duluth  in  half  a  day. 
It  has  often  happened  that  such  a  steamer,  arriving  at  the 
elevators  at  7  o'clock  in  the  morning,  has  been  outside  of 
the  harbor  with  her  cargo  aboard  before  noon  of  the  same 
day.  Duluth  has  become  in  recent  years  a  more  important 
wheat-shipping  port  than  Chicago,  and  in  the  volume  of 
grain  annually  dispatched  to  the  East  it  now  leads  all 
Western  cities.  Next  to  wheat,  the  most  important  article 
of  commerce  is  coal,  the  receipts  of  which  are  nearly 
2,000,000  tons  annually.  Iron  ore  is  shipped  from  the 
Mesaba  range.  The  manufactures  of  the  city  consist  of 
lumber,  flour,  iron  and  steel,  and  railway  cars.  The  rail- 
ways centering  in  the  place  are  the  Northern  Pacific,  the 
St.  Paul  &  Duluth,  the  Chicago,  St.  Paul,  Minneapolis  & 
Omaha,  the  Eastern  Minnesota,  the  Duluth,  South  Shore 
&  Atlantic,  the  Duluth,  Missabe  &  Northern,  the  Duluth  & 
Winnipeg,  and  the  Duluth  &  Iron  Range.  The  latter  road 
runs  northward  to  the  great  iron  mines  in  the  Vermillion 
range.  The  fisheries  of  Duluth  are  an  important  industry. 
White  fish  and  trout  are  caught  in  large  quantities  and 
shipped  to  St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis,  and  to  all  the  towns 
in  Minnesota,  the  Dakotas  and  Montana,  Duluth  has  a 
large,  first-class  hotel,  "  The  Spaulding,"  and  a  number  of 
smaller  establishments. 

The  city  with  its  suburbs  is  of  ribbon-like  shape,  extend- 
ing for  over  ten  miles  along  the  shore  of  Lake  Superior, 
of  the  Bay  of  Superior,  the  Bay  of  St.  Louis  and  the  St. 
Louis  river,  and  having  but  a   narrow   width  between  the 


302  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

water  and  the  precipitous  hillsides.  Electric  and  steam 
roads  afford  rapid  transit  from  end  to  end  of  the  place  and 
an  inclined  plane  road  runs  up  the  high  bluffs  from  the  heart 
of  the  business  district.  A  boulevard  drive  along  the  side 
of  the  bluffs  affords  admirable  views  of  the  lake  and  bays  and 
of  all  the  commercial  activities  of  the  city.  Tourists  should 
visit  the  Board  of  Trade,  where  the  wheat  trade  is  carried 
on.  The  Government  fish  hatchery,  at  the  eastern  end  of 
the  city,  is  well  worth  seeing. 

A  voyage  on  Lake  Superior  on  one  of  the  large  passen- 
ger steamers  which  leave  Duluth  daily  during  the  season 
of  navigation  for  the  Saulte  Ste.  Marie  and  for  all  ports  on 
the  lower  lakes  is  one  of  the  most  healthful  and  agreeable 
journeys  imaginable.  There  is  rarely  any  rough  weather 
to  produce  sea  sickness.  The^  air  is  singularly  pure  and 
exhilarating.  The  steamers  following  the  south  shore 
route  call  at  Ashland,  Bayfield,  the  copper-mining  towns 
of  Houghton  and  Hancock  and  the  iron-shipping  port  of 
Marquette,  and  at  the  "  Soo  "  are  locked  through  the  great 
canal.  The  north  shore  boats  call  at  the  Canadian  city  of 
Port  Arthur. 

The  upper  part  of  Lake  Superior  is  one  of  the  most 
interesting  points  to  the  geologist  on  the  North  American 
continent.  It  is  on  good  grounds  considered  the  oldest 
region  in  the  world.  The  theory  is  that  the  formation  of 
the  lake  is  due  to  some  great  volcanic  action,  long  prior  to 
the  ice  period  ;  perhaps  that  the  lake  itself  was  the  mouth 
of  a  great  volcano.  Duluth  is  built  on  the  rim  of  this 
lake  basin,  upon  foundations  of  trap  and  conglomerates  of 
every  conceivable  description,  with  seams  of  quartz  and 
veins  of  iron,  copper  and  silver  often  cropping  out  at  the 
surface.  The  ancient  lake  bed  extends  some  twenty  miles 
above    Duluth,  over  Grassy   Point,   Spirit  Lake,  and  the 


Westward  from  Lake  Superior,  303 

bed  of  the  St.  Louis  river,  as  far  as  Fond  du  Lac,  around 
which  the  lake  rim  curves,  inclosing  a  region  of  striking 
beauty.  The  chain  of  hills  is  here  cut  through  by  the  St. 
Louis  river,  causing  that  wonderful  series  of  rapids  which, 
in  a  distance  of  twelve  miles,  have  a  fall  of  500  feet  through 
masses  of  slate,  trap,  granite  and  sandstone,  and  are  cele- 
brated as  the  picturesque  regions  of  the  Dalles  of  the  St. 
Louis. 

The  mean  temperature  of  Duluth,  during  the  summer, 
is  as  follows  :  June,  570  9' ;  July,  6i°  9' ;  August,  63°  6'  ; 
September,  580  5'.  Summer  visitors  find  here  every  con- 
venience for  fishing,  hunting  and  sailing  parties.  Tourists 
and  scientists  usually  have  an  abundance  of  time  at  their 
disposal,  and  are  able  at  leisure  to  find  out  the  most 
desirable  localities.  But  there  are  many  who  come  by 
lake,  and  have  only  a  day  to  spare,  or  the  brief  period  that 
a  boat  is  waiting.  To  the  latter  class  a  trip  to  the  Dalles 
of  the  St.  Louis,  via  the  Northern  Pacific  railroad,  is  one 
of  the  most  profitable  ways  of  spending  the  time. 

The  Gooseberry  river  is  considered  the  best  trout 
stream  on  the  north  shore,  then  Split  Rock,  and  Stewart 
and  Knife  rivers,  in  the  order  named.  Among  the  fine 
bays  and  islands  most  popular  with  tourists  are  Knife 
island  and  Stony  Point,  Agate,  Burlington  and  Flood 
bays.  Agate  Bay,  especially,  is  visited,  and  the  name  is 
very  appropriate.  Its  shores  are  lined  with  agates,  among 
an  endless  variety  of  other  variegated  and  curiously 
colored  conglomerates,  all  specimen  chips  from  the  neigh- 
boring rocks  and  hills,  but  worn  more  or  less  smooth  by 
the  perpetual  friction  and  grinding  of  the  wave-washed 
beach.  The  north  shore  is  very  precipitous,  and  abounds 
in  tine  scenery.  Cascades  and  rapids  are  to  be  found  on 
nearly  all  the  streams. 


304  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

Carlton  (23  miles  from  Duluth  and  131  miles  from  St. 
Paul;  population,  1,000). — This  is  the  junction  of  the  St. 
Paul  &  Duluth  and  the  Northern  Pacific  railroads,  and  a 
branch  of  the  St.  Paul  &  Duluth  railroad,  known  as  the 
Knife  Falls  branch,  which  runs  six  miles  north  to  Knife 
Falls  and  Cloquet,  where  large  quantities  of  lumber  are 
manufactured. 

Aitkin  (87  -miles  west  of  Duluth;  population,  1,000). — 
This  is  a  lumbering  town  on  the  Mississippi  river,  which  is 
navigable  for  about  too  miles  above  the  place  to  Grand 
Rapids.  Small  steamboats  carry  supplies  to  lumbering 
camps  along  the  river.  Red  Cedar  Lake,  with  its  fifty  miles 
of  shore,  and  five  other  lakes  of  good  size,  situated  four 
miles  west  of  Aitkin,  are  excellent  places  for  hunting  and 
fishing.  Crystal  Lake  is  distant  two  and  a  half  miles  south. 
Lake  Mille  Lac,  twelve  miles  in  the  same  direction,  is  noted 
for  its  beauty;  and  all  are  well  worth  a  visit. 

The  country  around  the  lakes  is  surpassed  by  none  in 
point  of  attractiveness  to  the  eye,  being  undulating  and 
park-like.  The  glades  and  meadows  are  spangled  with 
wild  flowers  in  great  variety,  and  the  pebbly  shores  of  the 
lakes,  and  azure,  transparent  waters,  present  a  scene  which 
impresses  the  beholder  by  its  rare  beauty.  The  hunting 
here  is  excellent.  Elk  may  be  found  within  seventy-five 
to  one  hundred  miles  north  of  this  point,  and  in  the  imme- 
diate vicinity  of  Aitkin  are  deer,  bear,  geese,  ducks,  pheas- 
ants, grouse  and  woodcock. 

Visitors  to  this  portion  of  Minnesota  desiring  to  see  the 
red  man  in  his  wild  way  of  living,  may  have  their  wishes 
gratified  by  driving  out  to  the  great  and  beautiful  Mille 
Lac  lake  and  Chippeway  Indian  reservation,  about  twelve 
miles  from  Aitkin.  Cedar  Lake,  92  miles  west  of  Duluth, 
is  only  a  side  track. 


Westward  from  Lake  Superior.  305 

Deerwood  (97  miles  west  of  Duluth;  population,  50)  is 
a  favorite  retreat  for  the  hunter,  and  one  of  the  wildest, 
least  known  and  most  beautiful  points  on  the  Northern 
Pacific  railroad.  An  unbounded  forest  stretches  in  every 
direction,  in  which  deer  and  bear  tempt  the  adventurous 
sportsman  to  share  with  the  Indians  the  excitement  of  the 
hunt.  The  small  streams,  and  clear  lakes  of  unknown 
depth,  invite  the  lover  of  the  rod  to  make  his  camp  here. 
The  invalid  who  craves  repose,  yet  does  not  care  to  be  too 
far  away  from  the  post-office  or  telegrams,  finds  here  his 
Mecca.  A  small  hotel  has  been  built,  and  accommodation 
may  also  be  found  among  the  farmers  at  this  point;  or,  if 
camping  out  is  preferred,  it  is  easy  to  obtain  milk,  eggs, 
ice,  fresh  vegetables  and  berries  from  the  same  source. 

In  a  radius  of  three  miles,  there  are  over  twenty  known 
lakes,  whose  waters  fairly  teem  with  muscalonge,  pike, 
black  bass,  whitefish,  pickerel,  croppies,  wall-eyed  pike, 
sunfish,  rock  bass,  catfish,  bullheads  and  suckers.  It  is 
not  uncommon  to  take  pike  weighing  upward  of  twenty 
pounds,  and  black  bass  six  pounds,  with  a  trolling  spoon, 
while  at  the  mouths  of  streams  bass  weighing  from  half  a 
pound  to  two  and  a  half  pounds  can  be  caught  with  the 
fly.  The  lakes  vary  in  size  from  little  gems  a  few  hundred 
feet  across  to  larger  ones  of  several  miles  in  diameter,  many 
containing  islands.  Some  of  them  have  high,  rocky  shores 
pebbly  beaches,  and  deep  blue  waters;  others,  fringed 
with  a  growth  of  wild  rice,  are  the  feeding  and  hatching 
grounds  of  numbers  of  wild  fowl.  The  more  distant  lakes 
can  be  reached  by  pony  and  buckboard,  or  by  birch  canoes, 
the  latter  carried  over  portages. 

Brainerd  (138  miles  from  St.  Paul,  and  114  miles  from 
Duluth;  population,  7,000). — Brainerd,  City  of  the  Pines, 
is  situated  on  the  east  !>uuk  of  the  Mississippi  river,  on  the 


306  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

main  line  of  the  Northern  Pacific  railroad,  at  an  elevation 
of  i, 600  feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
important,  picturesque  and  attractive  towns  on  the  line  of 
the  railroad,  north  of  Minneapolis  and  west  of  the  great 
lakes,  in  Minnesota.  Approaching  the  town  from  the  south 
and  east,  the  eye  is  attracted  by  the  lofty  smoke-stack 
(no  feet  high)  of  the  railroad  company's  shops,  which  here 
cover  an  area  of  about  twenty  acres,  and  consist  of  a 
round-house,  containing  forty-four  stalls;  machine  shop, 
with  capacity  for  handling  twenty-two  locomotives  at  once; 
boiler  shop,  copper  shop,  blacksmith  forges,  foundry  and 
numerous  other  accessories  of  the  headquarters  of  the  motive 
power  of  a  great  railroad.  Passing  by  this  busy  hive  of 
industry,  going  west,  the  traveler  is  at  once  ushered  into 
the  business  portion  of  the  city,  which  stretches  along 
parallel  to  the  track  on  the  south  side  for  a  distance  of 
nearly  half  a  mile.  On  the  north  side  of  the  track  are 
obtained  glimpses,  through  the  timber,  of  picturesque 
residences,  churches,  Gregory  park,  inclosing  ten  acres  of 
stately  pines,  and  the  court  house  and  jail.  A  strong  dam 
was  built  across  the  Mississippi  river  about  two  miles 
above  the  business  centre  of  the  city  in  1888  by  a  water- 
power  company,  which  furnishes  power  for  mills  and 
factories.  The  dam  created  a  back-water  lake,  which  is 
one  of  the  most  capacious  storage  reservoirs  for  logs  to  be 
found  on  the  Mississippi  river.  The  principal  manufactur- 
ing industries  of  Brainerd  are  making  lumber  and  brick. 
The  railroad  company  has,  on  the  western  bank  of  the 
river,  a  large  and  handsome  sanitarium  which  is  supported 
by  a  small  monthly  contribution  from  all  the  employes  of 
the  company  engaged  upon  the  eastern  divisions  of  the 
road.  These  employes  have  the  right  to  surgical  and 
medical  treatment  and  board,  free  of  charge,  when  sick  or 


Westward  from  Lake  Superior,  307 

injured.  The  hospital  stands  in  the  midst  of  a  grove  of 
pines,  and  has  an  excellent  record  for  successful  work. 
Brainerd  is  the  gateway  to  the  vast  lumber  region  north 
and  east  to  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi.  A  hundred 
lakes,  at  varying  distances  of  three  to  twenty-five  miles 
from  Brainerd,  and  of  easy  access,  are  stocked  with  black 
bass,  wall-eyed  pike,  pickerel,  muScalonge  and  other 
varieties  of  fish,  all  of  exquisite  flavor;  numerous  rice  lakes 
afford  breeding  places  for  myriads  of  water  fowl,  while  the 
forest  is  full  of  game  and  fur-bearing  animals.  Red  deer 
and  pheasants  may  be  taken  by  the  sportsman,  within  easy 
strolling  distance  of  the  town;  and  a  black  bear,  wolf  or 
wolverine  often  adds  piquancy  to  the  hunter's  quest.  There 
is  a  hotel  at  Gull  lake,  twelve  miles  distant  northwest, 
with  accommodations  for  twenty  guests,  and  at  Serpent 
lake,  sixteen  miles  northeast,  there  are  accommodations 
for  perhaps  an  equal  number.  Mille  Lac  lake,  twenty-two 
miles  southeast,  is  the  second  largest  and  perhaps  the  most 
charming,  of  all  the  Minnesota  lakes.  Embowered  in  a 
magnificent  forest  of  butternut,  ash,  sugar  maple  and 
other  hard  woods,  its  solitude  has  rarely  been  disturbed 
by  the  sound  of  the  woodman's  axe.  It  has  an  area  of 
nearly  400  square  miles,  and  a  gravelly  beach  skirts  its 
shores  for  nearly  100  miles.  This  lake  is  the  source  of  the 
Rum  river;  its  waters  teem  with  fish,  many  of  which  are  of 
marvelous  size;  black  bass  of  ten  and  twelve  pounds  each 
are  often  hooked.  Its  shores  abound  with  game,  attracted 
hither  in  the  fall  by  the  immense  crops  of  mast  in  the 
forest  and  wild  rice  in  the  thousand  lakes.  Openings  in 
the  forest,  bits  of  prairie  and  meadow,  produce  wild  straw- 
berries, blueberries,  raspberries  and  cranberries,  hundreds 
of  bushels  of  which  are  annually  shipped  from  this  station; 
the  undergrowth  is  rich  with  ferns  and  flowers  and  flower- 
ins  shrubs  of  exquisite  beauty. 


308  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

Gull  River  (121  miles  from  Duluth  and  143  miles  from 
St.  Paul;  population,  500). — Gull  River,  so  called  from  the 
river  which  runs  through  the  town,  is  a  lumbering  point 
from  which  great  quantities  of  lumber  are  shipped  for 
building  purposes.  One  of  the  largest  saw-mills  in  the 
State  is  situated  here;  also  a  sash  and  door  factory,  and  a 
planing  mill.  Gull  lake  lies  four  miles  north  of  the  town. 
This  is  another  of  Minnesota's  beautiful  lakes,  abounding 
with  fish  of  all  kinds.  There  is  a  steamboat  on  its  waters 
which  carries  the  tourist  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  miles 
around  its  shores.     Two  miles  west  of  Gull  River  is 

Sylvan  Lake,  also  a  very  pleasant  resort  in  summer. 
There  are  a  great  many  deer,  and  some  moose,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  these  lakes.  A  moose  was  recently  killed 
that  weighed,  when  dressed,  800  pounds.  Wolves  and 
bears  are  also  to  be  found.  In  the  spring  and  autumn  the 
rivers  and  lakes  are  alive  with  ducks  and  other  water  fowl. 
Years  ago,  one  of  the  greatest  battles  between  the  Chip- 
peway  and  Sioux  Indians  was  fought  here.  "  Hole-in-the- 
day/'  one  of  the  Chippeway  chiefs,  was  shot  in  this  vicinity. 
"Bad  Boy,"  so  called  by  the  Indians  because  he  saved 
many  of  the  white  settlers'  lives  at  the  time  of  the  Indian 
massacre  in  1862,  lives  here. 

Staples  (143  miles  from  Duluth  and  167  from  St.  Paul) 
is  the  junction  point  of  the  Lake  Superior  line  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  with  the  main  line  from  St.  Paul  to  the 
west. 


LITTLE  FALLS  AND  DAKOTA  BRANCH. 


Little  Falls  to  Morris,  Minn.,  88  Miles. 


This  branch  runs  in  a  course  slightly  south  of  west, 
traversing  first  the  wooded  country  which  skirts  the  western 
bank  of  the  Mississippi  and  then  coming  out  into  a  fine 
rolling  prairie  country,  dotted  with  numerous  lakes. 
Owing  to  the  diversified  character  of  the  country,  the  ride 
is  an  exceedingly  interesting  one  from  Little  Falls  to 
Morris,  and  it  gives  the  traveler  possibly  a  better  idea  of 
Minnesota's  varied  landscape  than  any  other  trip  of  equal 
length. 

Grey  Eagle  is  the  first  point  of  importance.  It  has  a 
population  of  about  300,  and  is  something  of  a  summer 
resort,  as  it  is  delightfully  situated  in  the  midst  of  four 
noted  lakes,  which  are  visited  every  year  by  many  fisher- 
men from  the  cities.  There  is  a  hotel  at  Birch  lake,  built 
some  years  ago  for  their  accommodation. 

Sauk  Centre,  37  miles  from  Little  Falls,  is  the  largest 
town  on  this  branch,  having  a  population  of  2,200.  It  is 
a  thrifty-looking,  prosperous  place,  located  on  Sauk  river, 
at  the  outlet  of  Sauk  Lake,  which  is  twelve  miles  long.  It 
forms  the  natural  geographical  and  business  centre  and 
outlet  of  an  extensive  area  of  rich  agricultural  country, 
well  s applied  with  timber  and  water,  and  finely  adapted  to 
raising   grain    and    stock,  as   well    as   to   dairy   purposes. 


310  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

There  are  two  large  flouring  mills,  machine  shops  and 
manufactories,  a  fine  waterpower,  banks,  newspapers,  etc. 
The  St.  Paul  and  St.  Vincent  line  of  the  Great  Northern 
passes  through  here,  and  a  short  branch  of  that  road  runs 
north  from  this  point.  There  is  excellent  hunting  and 
fishing  in  the  neighborhood,  thousands  of  ducks  and  geese 
inhabiting  the  marshes  west  of  the  town  at  certain  seasons. 

Villard;  sixteen  miles  west,  is  pleasantly  situated  near 
a  chain  of  four  lakes,  between  two  of  which  the  railroad 
track  runs.  The  locality  is  famous  for  its  fishing  and 
hunting. 

Glenwood,  sixty  miles  west  of  Little  Falls,  is  a  pictur- 
esque town,  situated' in  a  circular  valley  at  the  east  end  of 
Lake  Minnewaska,  a  most  beautful  body  of  water  ten 
miles  in  length,  occasional  glimpses  of  which  may  be  had 
from  the  train,  200  feet  above.  It  is  two  to  three  miles 
wide  and  is  surrounded  by  rolling  country,  well  adapted 
to  stock  ranches.  A  number  of  springs  of  varied  chemical 
analyses  gush  from  the  hill  slopes  on  the  north  shore  near 
the  town,  that  are  highly  recommended  for  their  medicinal 
qualities.  A  group  of  these  are  used  to  supply  the  town 
by  means  of  pipes,  and  afford  ample  fire  protection.  The 
Northwestern  Institute  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  associations  of  the 
Northwest  is  located  on  a  twenty-acre  tract  bordering  the 
lake,  donated  by  the  town,  and  here  they  take  their  sum- 
mer outing.  Glenwood  is  also  a  favorite  summer  resort 
for  hundreds  of  others  who  come  out  from  the  cities  of 
Minnesota  and  other  States  to  the  south  and  east.  It  is 
the  county  seat  of  Pope  county.     Population,  1,000. 

Morris,  the  western  terminus  of  the  L.  F.  &  D.  branch, 
is  the  county  seat  of  Stevens  county,  and  has  a  population 
of  about  2,000.  It  is  the  market  for  an  extensive  area  of 
stock-raising  and  farming  country,  and  is  on  the  St.  Paul 


Little  Falls  and  Dakota  Branch.  311 

and  Fargo  line  of  the  Great  Northern  railway.  Wheat, 
barley  and  corn  are  the  principal  farm  products.  There 
are  numerous  small  lakes  in  the  vicinity,  where  game  and 
fish  abound. 

Little  Falls  To  Brainerd,  30  Miles. 

Belle  Prairie  (112  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population  800). 
— This  town,  in  Morrison  county,  four  and  a  half  miles 
north  of  Little  Falls,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi, 
derives  its  name  from  the  beautiful,  level  strip  of  prairie, 
about  twelve  miles  long,  and  varying  from  two  to  four  miles 
in  width,  upon  the  edge  of  which  it  is  situated.  The  soil  of 
Belle  Prairie  is  a  rich,  black  sand,  and  well  adapted  to  all 
kinds  of  agricultural  products,  especially  wheat,  potatoes 
and  garden  vegetables.  The  population  of  the  country 
contributary  to  Belle  Prairie  is  1,000,  the  majority  being 
French  Canadians,  who  are  mostly  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits  and  lumbering.  This  town  is  one  of  the  oldest 
settlements  of  Northern  Minnesota.  Mr.  Frederick  Ayer, 
the  missionary,  settled  here  in  1848,  and  erected  a  com- 
modious school-house  for  the  education  of  Indian  children. 

Fort  Ripley  (121  miles  from  St.  Paul;  population, 
500). — This  station  derives  its  name  from  the  now  unoccu- 
pied fort,  distant  one  mile,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Mis- 

ippi  river,  which,  in  the  time  when  Minnesota  was 
occupied  in  a  great  part  by  the  Sioux  Indians,  was  an  im- 
portant frontier  military  station.  The  old  block  house  and 
barracks  are  still  standing. 


NORTHERN  PACIFIC,  FERGUS  &  BLACK 
HILLS  BRANCH. 


Wadena,  Minn.,  to  Milnor,  N.  D.,  119  Miles. 


This  branch  of  the  Northern  Pacific  system  runs  in  a 
general  southwesterly  direction  from  Wadena  to  Fergus 
Falls,  thence  nearly  due  west,  crossing  both  branches  of  the 
Red  river,  the  Otter  Tail  and  Bois  de  Sioux,  at  Wahpeton, 
and  terminating  at  Milnor,  119  miles  from  Wadena.  The 
country  traversed  between  Wadena  and  Fergus  Falls 
belongs  to  the  beautiful  and  picturesque  lake  and  park 
region,  which  is  a  combination  of  prairie  and  wooded 
knolls,  interspersed  with  numerous  lakes.  West  of  Fergus 
Falls  the  road  descends  into  the  level  valley  of  the  Red 
river,  which  it  traverses  for  the  remainder  of  its  length. 

At  Henning,  18  miles  southwest  of  Wadena,  the 
Mississippi  river  and  the  Red  river  of  the  North  almost 
interlock.  Forty  rods  east  of  the  village  site  runs  Leaf 
river,  which  empties  into  the  Mississippi,  and  the  same 
distance  west  the  streams  flow  into  the  Red  river  of  the 
North.  Two  miles  south  of  the  village  are  the  Leaf 
mountains,  or  Painted  hills,  rising  about  200  feet  above 
the  plains,  making  an  elevation  of  about  1,700  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  ocean.  From  these  eminences  a  beautiful 
view  is  presented  of  the  surrounding  country.     The  town 

812 


Through  the  Park  Region,  313 

occupies  a  central  location  to  three  of  ttye  finest  lakes  in 
the  park-like  region  ;  viz.,  Inman  lake,  on  the  east, 
with  its  crystal  waters  and  heavily  wooded  shores  ;  East 
Battle  lake,  on  the  west,  with  its  islands,  bays,  rocks  and 
headlands,  embowered  amid  the  shades  of  the  primeval 
forest  ;  and  Leaf  lake,  on  the  north,  with  its  deep,  clear 
waters,  and  its  shore  line  of  twenty-five  or  thirty  miles 
bordered  by  thick  woods.  There  are  several  other  charm- 
ing lakes,  such  as  Round  lake,  and  its  white,  gravelly 
beaches  ;  McDonald,  Buchanan  and  Otter  Tail  lakes,  the 
latter  the  largest  of  all,  being  ten  miles  long  by  three  miles 
wide.  These  lakes  all  abound  in  many  kinds  of  excellent 
fish,  such  as  whitefish,  pickerel,  pike,  catfish,  and  black 
and  rock  bass.  This  region  has  always  been  the  resort 
and  breeding  ground  of  large  numbers  of  water  fowl,  and 
no  less  than  seventy  varieties  of  birds  have  been  found 
here. 

Clitherall  (29  miles  from  Wadena)  is  situated  near 
three  of  the  finest  and  largest  lakes  in  the  Minnesota  park 
region — Clitherall  lake  and  the  two  noted  Battle  lakes, 
west  and  east,  respectively.  Clitherall  lake  is  a  beautiful 
sheet  of  water,  somewhat  in  the  shape  of  the  capital  letter 
Y.  extending  from  northeast  to  southwest,  about  four  miles 
in  length,  with  an  average  depth  of  60  feet.  It  teems 
with  every  species  of  fish  known  to  the  Western  lakes, 
from  the  monstrous  buffalo  of  forty  and  fifty  pounds 
advoirdupois,  or  the  shy  pickerel  of  twenty  pounds, 
down  to  the  beautiful  perch  of  a  couple  of  ounces. 
The  lake  is  also  haunted  by  water  fowl  in  great  numbers, 
from  the  pelican  and  goose  to  every  species  of  duck.  On 
its  shores  there  is  a  small  Mormon  settlement,  the  oldest 
in  Otter  Tail  county,  the  people  having  made  their  homes 
here  as  early  as  1865.   They  are  followers  of  Joseph  Smith, 


314  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

and  bitter  denouncers  of  polygamy  and  their  cousins  at 
Salt  Lake.  Their  settlement  is  one  mile  and  a  half  from 
the  station,  and  is  finely  situated  in  a  beautiful  grove  of 
oaks  on  the  north  shore  of  the  lake.  They  have  about  five 
hundred  acres  under  cultivation,  and  the  railroad  runs 
through  their  fields  in  sight  of  the  settlement. 

South  of  Clitherall,  for  ten  miles,  stretches  a  grand 
prairie,  and  he  must  indeed  be  a  poor  shot  who  cannot  here 
bag  as  many  grouse  as  he  wants.  The  Leaf  mountains  are 
the  favorite  haunts  of  deer,  which  are  killed  by  hunters  in 
great  numbers  every  autumn.  The  Indians  say  that  these 
mountains  have  been  visited  every  year  by  them,  in  pur- 
suit of  deer,  as  far  back  as  their  oldest  people  can  remember. 
Not  even  the  presence  of  the  white  man  and  the  railroad 
can  drive  the  Indian  from  his  ft  hunting  grounds/'  Even 
now,  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  the  tourist  can  see  here  and 
there  a  wigwam  on  the  north  shore  of  tfce  lake,  and  the 
eyes  of  a  shy  pappoose  peeping  at  him  from  behind  a  bush- 
Battle  Lake. — Ere  beautiful  Lake  Clitherall  is  lost  to 
view,  as  the  train  speeds  along  through  pleasant  groves  and 
picturesque  scenery,  it  rounds  a  high  bluff,  and  another 
picturesque  sheet  of  water  is  seen,  covering  an  area  of  four 
by  nine  miles.  This  is  the  well-known  Battle  lake.  The 
town  of  Battle  lake  lies  at  the  west  end  of  the  lake,  and  a 
large  amount  of  wheat  is  marketed  here.  A  lookout  has 
been  erected  by  the  Northern  Pacific  railroad,  the  view 
from  which  is  magnificent.  Seventeen  beautiful  lakes  can 
be  seen  within  a  radius  of  five  miles,  all  of  which  are  well 
stocked  with  fish.  Besides  these  there  are  many  ponds 
where,  during  spring,  summer  and  autumn,  aquatic  fowl 
are  abundant.  There  are  two  Battle  lakes,  West  Battle 
lake  and  East  Battle  lake.  West  Battle  lake,  the  queen 
of  Otter  Tail  county  lakes,  lies  one  mile  north  of  the  station, 


Through  the  Park  Region.  315 

and  is  the  largest  of  the  three  lakes  named.  It  is  a  favorite 
resort  for  fishing  parties,  and  the  finny  tribe  seems  inex- 
haustible. This  lake  has  an  average  depth  of  seventy-five 
feet.  A  steamer,  sail-boats  and  numbers  of  row-boats  ply 
its  waters.  East  Battle  lake  is  hidden  among  the  islands 
and  woodland  hills,  and  is  renowned  for  its  romantic 
scenery.  The  lake  is  quite  irregular  in  form,  its  shores 
being  broken  by  grottoes,  dells,  lovely  little  coves  and  bays. 
It  is  about  four  miles  long  and  from  half  a  mile  to  two 
miles  wide,  containing  three  large  islands.  Wild  ducks 
congregate  here  in  the  spring  and  autumn  in  countless 
numbers. 

The  Battle  lakes  take  their  name  from  the  famous  and 
bloody  conflict  which  was  fought  on  the  neck  of  land  that 
divides  their  waters,  between  the  Chippeway  and  Sioux 
Indians,  in  which  the  former  won  a  dearly  bought  victory* 
killing  every  one  of  their  enemies,  but  losing  500  of  their 
own  warriors.  The  battle  ground  is  only  a  mile  and  a  half 
from  Clitherall,  where  the  fortifications,  breastworks,  rifle- 
pits,  and  even  the  mounds  over  the  graves,  still  remain  as 
a  record  of  the  bloody  and  fatal  strife  between  the  savages 
for  the  possession  of  this  most  coveted  hunting  ground. 
On  the  north  side  of  the  lakes  is  still  another  earth  fortifi- 
cation, where  at  some  time  another  terrible  battle  was 
fought  between  the  Indians.  A  breastwork,  in  circular 
form,  incloses  about  an  acre  of  ground,  and  inside  the  circle 
are  a  number  of  rifle-pits.  Arrow-heads,  shells  and  other 
relics  have  been  found  in  this  place. 

Fergus  Falls  has  a  population  of  over  4,boo,  and  is  the 

county  scat  of  Otter  Tail  county,  the  largest  well-settled 

ntv  in  Minnesota.     The  city  is  three  miles  square,  and 

is  built  up  more  or  less  for  nearly    two  miles  up  and  down 

the  Red  river,  and  over  a  mile  in  breadth  north  and  south. 


316  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

To  the  north,  overlooking  and  protecting  the  valley,  are 
groves  of  timber,  through  which  stretch  narrow  strips  of 
prairie.  South  of  the  river  the  land  is  for  the  most  part 
prairie,  on  which  are  several  planted  groves  of  rapidly- 
growing  trees.  The  principal  street,  Lincoln  averme,  is 
built  up  compactly  on  both  sides  for  half  a  mile,  and 
business  overflows  thence  up  and  down  the  cross  streets. " 
Within  an  area  of  two  miles  north  and  south,  by  three 
miles  east  and  west,  are  six  distinct  water-powers,  with 
over  eighty  feet  fall.  The  red  river  at  this  point  leaves  a 
high  upland  region,  and  descends  a  distance  of  over  200 
feet  in  a  few  miles  to  the  level  of  the  Red  river  plain, 
furnishing  10,000  horse-power,  which  is  used  for  milling 
and  manufacturing  purposes.  The  favorable  situation  of. 
Fergus  Falls  at  the  southern  end  of  the  celebrated  Red 
river  valley,  surrounded  by  a  rich,  well-developed  agri- 
cultural and  stock-raising  country,  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
famed  park  region  of  Minnesota,  gives  the  place  a  front 
rank  among  the  thriving  towns  of  the  Golden  Northwest. 

Fergus  Falls  is  on  one  of  the  main  lines  of  the  Great 
Northern  railway,  and  a  branch  line  of  the  same  road 
runs  northward  to  Pelican  Rapids,  twenty-two  miles 
distant.   One  of  the  three  insane  asylums  of  the  State  is  here. 

Breckenridge,  77  miles  from  Wadena,  has  a  population 
of  900,  is  the  county  seat  of  Wilkin  county,  Minn.,  and  is  sit- 
uated on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Red  river,  at  its  junction 
with  the  Bois  de  Sioux  river.  It  is  one  of  the  oldest  settle- 
ments in  Northern  Minnesota,  and  was  an  Indian  trading 
post  as  long  ago  as  1857.  The  town  was  burned  during 
the  great  Sioux  Indian  outbreak  in  1862,  and  eight  of  its 
inhabitants  were  killed.  A  battle  was  subsequently  fought 
between  eighty  soldiers  fortified  in  a  stockade  and  a  large 
force  of  Indians.     The  savages  were  finally  driven  off  after 


Down  the  Red  River    Valley.  317 

two  days'  futile  effort  to  capture  the  stockade.  Brecken- 
ridge  was  not  rebuilt  until  ten  years  later.  In  1873  the 
St.  Paul  &  Pacific  railroad,  now  the  Great  Northern,  was 
completed  to  the  place,  and  the  surrounding  country 
began  to  be  occupied  by  farmers.  Just  across  the  river, 
one  mile, distant  in  North  Dakota,  is 

Wahpeton,  with  a  population  of  2,000.  This  town, 
situated  on  the  Bois  de  Sioux,  just  above  its  confluence 
with  the  Red  or  Otter  Tail,  is  the  county  seat  of  Richland 
county,  one  of  the  best  agricultural  counties  in  North 
Dakota.  It  is  forty-six  miles  south  of  Fargo,  and  at  the 
head  of  navigation  of  the  Red  river  of  the  North.  Wah- 
peton has  a  water-power,  formed  by  the  Otter  Tail,  with  a 
fall  of  sixteen  feet,  furnishing  a  steady  and  reliable  volume 
of  water.  In  1869  the  first  claim  hut  was  put  up  on  what 
is  now  the  town  site.  In  1&73  a  trading  house  was  estab- 
lished, and  traffic  was  carried  on  with  the  Indians,  who 
occupied  nearly  the  entire  country  from  Big  Stone  Lake 
to  the  British  dominion  for  miles  on  both  sides  of  the 
river.  The  town  is  now  in  the  midst  of  an  agricultural 
country  of  superior  fertility,  and  ranks,  as  a  commercial 
center,  among  the  first  in  North  Dakota. 

The  Dwight  Farm,  which  comprises  some  7,000  acres 
and  has  the  reputation  of  being  oneof  the  most  scientifically 
managed  large  farms  in  the  Northwest,  lies  immediately 
north    of    Farmington,  ttie  first  station  west  of  Wahpeton. 

Milnor,  the  present  terminus  of  the  road,  is  J20  miles 
from  Wadena.  It  was  founded  in  1883,  an<3  rapidly 
became  an  important  business  point.  The  surrounding 
country  consists  of    rolling  prairie,  and  is  all  fertile  to   a 

1  degree,  there  being  scarcely  any  waste  land.  Milnor 
is  the  county  seat  of  Sargent  county,  and  has  500  inhabi- 
tants.     Fort  Sisseton  Indian  agency  is  thirty  miles  south. 


THE    MANITOBA   DIVISION. 


Winnipeg  Junction,  Minn.,  to  Portage  la  Prairie, 
Manitoba,  306  Miles. 


This  division  includes  the  Duluth  &  Manitoba,  which 
extends  to  the  Canadian  boundary  line  at  Pembina,  189 
miles,  94  miles  of  which  is  through  one  of  the  most  pro- 
ductive wheat  regions  in  Minnesota.  Crossing  the  Red 
river  at  East  Grand  Forks  into  North  Dakota,  the  road 
runs  almost  due  north  for  70  miles,  through  the  lower 
Red  river  valley,  a  region  scarcely  surpassed  anywhere 
on  the  globe  for  natural  fertility,  and  now  producing  a 
larger  average  yield  of  wheat  per  acre  than  any  section  in 
the  United  States  with  the  exception  of  the  Pacific  coast. 

At  the  international  boundary,  two  miles  north  of  Pem- 
bina, the  Duluth  &  Manitoba  connects  with  the  Northern 
Pacific  &  Manitoba  railroad,  which  runs  down  the  Red 
river  valley  to  the  city  of  Winnipeg.  A  branch  of  this 
latter  road  runs  from  Morris,  thirty  miles  north  of  Pem- 
bina, into  Southwestern  Manitoba,  and  another  line,  owned 
by  the  same  corporation,  runs  from  Winnipeg  to  Portage  la 
Prairie.  The  Northern  Pacific  &  Manitoba  road  was 
originally  chartered  by  the  Manitoba  Provincial  govern- 
ment to  build  a  system  of  roads  in  the*  Province  to  com- 
pete with  the  Canadian  Pacific.  The  charter  was  subse- 
quently confirmed  by  the  Dominion  government. 

3X8 


Down  the  Red  River   Valley,  319 

Fertile  (45  miles  from  Winnipeg  Junction)  is  the  first 
point  reached  of  any  importance.  It  has  a  population  of 
about  500,  and  is  an  important  local  trading  point.  A 
branch  continues  due  north  from  here  to  Red  Lake  Falls, 
thence  to  a  junction  with  the  main  line  again  at  a  point  a 
few  miles  east  of  the  Red  river. 

Red  Lake  Falls,  the  only  place  of  any  consequence 
on  that  branch,  is  a  manufacturing  and  milling  town  at 
the  junction  of  the  Clearwater  and  Red  Lake  rivers,  with 
a  population  of  1,000.  There  are  no  less  than  thirteen 
valuable  waterpowers  on  these  two  rivers,  in  and  near  the 
town,  and  just  below  the  junction,  of  the  rivers  is  a  very 
large  power  which  has  been  improved  by  a  stock  company. 
Red  Lake  Falls  has  two  flouring  mills  and  two    saw-mills. 

Crookston,  the  county  seat  of  Polk,  the  largest  county 
in  Western  Minnesota,  is  an  interesting,  pleasant-looking 
town  of  5,000  people  that  has  been  steadily  gaining  in  popula- 
tion and  wealth  the  past  few  years.  There  are  now  fine,  large 
business  blocks,  elegant  modern  residences,  and  everything 
else  that  indicates  advanced  social  conditions  and  com- 
mercial thrift.  Nature  has  favored  Cro.okston.  There  are 
two  splendid  water-powers,  one  of  which  is  developed  and 
furnishes  75,000  horse-power,  and  is  used  to  run  the  flour- 
ing mills,  pump  water  for  the  city  for  fire  and  domestic 
purposes,  and  run  the  machinery  which  furnishes  the  electric 
light  with  which  the  streets,  business  houses  and  residences 
are  lighted.  There  is  a  decided  lack  of  capital  for  manu- 
facturing and  larger  mercantile  enterprises.  The  water- 
power  that  is  in  use  demonstrates  what  might  be  done  with 
a  strong  financial  backing.  The  valley  of  the  Red  Lake 
river  extends  seventy-five  miles  to  the  north  and  east  of 
Crookston.  It  is  all  fertile,  and  a  well  watered  agricultural 
region  with  a  rich,  deep,  black  loam,  the  valley  being  from 


320  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

five  to  fifteen  miles  wide.  There  is  no  waste  land.  Beyond 
this  valley  is  the  heavy  timber  of  the  reservation.  On  the 
river  is  a  saw-mill  that  cut  in  one  season  21,000,000  feet  of 
lumber  and  many  thousands  of  lath  and  shingles.  Crooks- 
ton  is  most  advantageously  situated  for  the  manufacturing 
of  lumber  From  the  Red  Lake  reservation,  being  near,  and 
a  good  distributing  point. 

Polk  county  has  seventy-five  townships,  an  assessed 
valuation  of  $7,000,000,  over  a  million  and  a  half  acres,  of 
which  250,000  are  under  cultivation,  and  a  population  of 
33,000.  The  Northern  Pacific  and  Great  Northern  operate 
six  lines  of  railroad  in  the  county,  reaching  into  the  best 
portions  and  helping  the  development  in  the  most  effective 
way.  A  large  per  cent  of  the  population  is  made  up  of 
Norwegians,  who  have  used  the  lands  to  the  best  advan- 
tage. There  are  many  French  Canadians,  also,  a  few  of  the 
townships  being  populated  almost  wholly  by  them.  Here 
and  there  are  Germans  and  Bohemians.  The  wheat  yield  of 
the  county  in  1891  was  estimated  at  from  six  to  seven 
million  bushels. 

The  Red  Lake  Reservation  is  a  large  tract  of  land  in 
Northern  Minnesota,  nearly  a  parallelogram  in  form,  run- 
ning northeast  and  southwest,  with  an  extreme  length  of 
about  150  miles  and  a  nearly  constant  breadth  of  about 
eighty  miles.  The  soil  and  timber  vary  greatly  in  the 
different  portions.  The  northern  half,  which  is  low  and 
often  swampy,  is  covered  by  immense  tracts  of  white  cedar 
of  excellent  quality,  tamarack  and  arbor  vitae. 

The  southern  half  of  the  reservation  is  much  the  more 
fertile,  consisting  of  rolling  land  with  innumerable  little 
lakes  and  streams,  and  contains  nearly  all  the  pine  timber. 
In  its  midst  is  Red  lake,  the  largest  in  the  State,  con- 
sisting  really  of   two  lakes  united  by  a  narrow,  shallow 


Down  the  Red  River    Valley.  321 

strait,  altogether  making  a  body  in  shape  something  like  a 
gigantic  dumb-bell.  The  greatest  length  of  the  two  lakes 
is  about  sixty  miles  and  the  breadth  twenty-five  miles. 

Along  the  southern  edge  the  shore  is  bordered  with 
high  bluffs,  generally  covered  with  hardwood  timber, 
extending  also  up  the  eastern  coast.  Numerous  streams 
cut  through  these  highlands  and  empty  in  the  lakes. 
White  Earth  reservation,  on  which  are  nearly  100,000 
acres  of  pine  land,  is  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  book* 
with  some  interesting  features  of  its  aboriginal  inhabitants. 
These  lands  are  well  situated  in  a  compact  body,  but 
do  not  ab.ut  on  any  considerable  stream,  so  that  they  will 
depend  on  future  railroad  facilities  for  development. 

The  Northern  Minnesota  Wilderness  is  so-called  from 
the  fact  that  it  a  vast  area  of  undeveloped  country,  the 
chief  resources  of  which  are  pine  and  hardwood  and  iron 
ore — an  almost  unbroken  forest  from  its  eastern  boundary 
on  Lake  Superior  to  the  Red  river.  It  is  not,  by  any  means, 
uninhabited.  Indians,  lumbermen,  fishermen,  and  miners 
give  it  a  population  that  is  much  scattered,  but  sufficient 
to  relieve  it  of  the  term  "wilderness."  Its  southern  border 
might  in  a  rough  way  be  located  by  a  line  drawn  from 
Duluth  to  a  point  50  miles  east  of  Crookston,  at  the  south- 
west corner  of  the  Red  lake  reservation.  The  great  Mesaba 
iron  range,  the  Rainy  lake  mining  region,  on  the  northern 
boundary,  and  the  vast  forests  of  pine  are  being  brought 
into  touch  with  the  world  by  the  railroads. 

East  Grand  Forks,  105  miles  from  Winnipeg  Junction, 
has  a  population  of  1,200,  and  is  situated  on  the  Minnesota 
side. of  the  Red  river  of  the  North.  The  railroad  shops 
are  located  here,  and  there  are  two  grain  elevators  and  a 
number  of  stores.  It  is  one  of  the  liveliest  towns  in  West- 
ern Minnesota,  and  is  connected  by  both  railroad  and 
highway  bridges  with 


322  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

Grand  Forks,  North  Dakota,  which  is  claimed  by  its 
enterprising  people  and  many  Western  travelers  to  be  the 
handsomest  town  of  its  size  and  age  in  the  Northwest.  It 
certainly  has  good  grounds  on  which  to  claim  this  distinc- 
tion. It  has  a  population  of  about  8,500,  half  of  which 
has  been  acquired  since  1890.  A  well-known  magazine 
writer  says: 

The  striking  feature  about  Grand  Forks,  which  is  sure 
to  impress  the  stranger  most  at  first  view  and  to  occasion 
interest  and  inquiry,  is  the  number  of  tall,  solid,  city-like 
buildings  on  the  main  business  street.  These  structures, 
four  and  five  stories  in  height,  are  of  the  latest  styles  of 
architecture,  and  are  finished  in  the  costly  and  tasteful 
way  now  popular  in  the  cities.  They  have  passenger 
elevators,  tiled  hall-ways,  polished  hardwood  interior 
work  and  are  prodigal  in  the  use  of  ornamental  iron  and 
brass.  There  are  no  such  buildings  in  any  other  North 
Dakota  town,  and  none,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  in  any  town 
in  the  West  of  the  population  of  Grand  Forks.  They 
represent  the  accumulated  wealth  of  less  than  twenty 
years'  occupancy  of  this  fertile  Red  River  country.  The 
question  will  be  asked  at  the  outset,  I  imagine,  why  Grand 
Forks  is  able  to  make  such  an  exceptionally  fine  showing 
of  stately  business  blocks  ?  The  answer  will  be  evident  to 
any  one  who  will  take  a  half-hour's  stroll  from  end  to  end 
of  the  town,  following  the  course  of  the  river.  Grand 
Forks  does  not  depend  wholly  on  handling  grain  and  on 
the  trade  that  comes  from  selling  goods  and  machinery  to 
a  farming  country.  It  has  another  important  resource  — 
that  of  manufacturing,  and  it  is  this,  added  to  the  business 
of  trading  with  a  highly  productive  agricultural  district, 
that  has  given  it  an  altogether  exceptional  degree  of  pros- 
perity.    Manufacturing  enterprise  was   not  forced  at  the 


Dawn  the  Red  giver    Valley.  323 

start  for  the  purpose  of  town  booming,  but  came  about 
naturally  from  the  situation  of  the  place  at  the  junction  of 
the  Red  Lake  river  with  the  Red.  The  former  river  is 
the  outlet  of  Red  lake,  the  largest  body  of  water  lying 
wholly  in  the  State  of  Minnesota,  and  with  its  tributary, 
the  Clearwater,  it  drains  the  best  pineries  in  that  State. 
Logs  are  floated  down  to  Grand  Fofks,  and  the  railroads 
centering  here  and  running  out  across  the  prairies  north, 
south  and  west  made  this  an  excellent  point  for  the  manu- 
facture and  distribution  of  lumber.  The  mill  owned  by  T. 
B.  Walker  saws  15,000,000  feet  a  year  and  it  is  all  wanted 
for  local  consumption  in  North  Dakota. 

Grand  Forks  is  the  headquarters  of  the  North  Dakota 
Milling  Association,  controlling  the  output  of  a  dozen  first- 
class  flouring  mills  in  various  parts  of  the  State,  which  is 
about  5,000  barrels  daily.  There  are  several  splendidly 
equipped,  well-managed  hotels  here  that  entertain  trav- 
elers of  luxurious  tastes  in  a  manner  that  has  given  the 
town  a  great  reputation.  The  Great  Northern  railway 
has  two  lines  here — one  reaching  to  the  Pacific  coast  and 
the  other  to  Manitoba. 

Grafton,  with  a  population  of  3,000,  is  county  seat  of 
Walsh  county,  one  of  the  great  wheat-producing  counties 
of  North  Dakota.  The  land  in  this  county,  as  in  all  the 
lower  Red  Lake  valley  on  the  Dakota  side,  is  rolling 
prairie,  with  occasional  strips  of  timber  following  the 
course  of  the  streams  which  run  into  the  Red  river  of  the 
North.  The  yield  of  hard  spring  wheat  has  seldom  fallen 
below  twenty  bushels,  and  often  averages  as  high  as  thirty 
bushels.  The  North  Dakota  and  Manitoba  line  of  the 
Great  Northern  passes  through  Grafton,  making  it  an 
important  shipping  point.  It  is  a  thrifty,  progressive  town 
ie  up  of  Americans,  Germans  and  Scandinavians.     A 


324  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

small  colony  of  Icelanders  are  settled  just  beyond  the 
eastern  corporate  limits.  They  also  are  thrifty  in  their 
way,  but  mix  very  little  with  other  nationalities.  The 
Northern  Pacific  runs  for  a  dozen  miles  to  the  northeast, 
touching  the  Red  river  again  at  the  pretty  little  town  of 

Drayton,  in  the  extreme  southeast  corner  of  Pembina 
county,  whose  northern  line  is  the  international  boundary. 
The  town  has  about  700  people,  representing  the  best  type 
of  those  enterprising  Canadians  who  settled  on  choice 
spots  along  our  northern  border  in  the  days  when  the  Red 
River  country  was  "  frontier. "  Drayton  is  said  to  be  the 
wealthiest  town,  in  proportion  to  its  population,  in  the 
Northwest.  It  draws  trade  from  the  broad  prairies  to  the 
west  and  from  an  extensive  area  of  country  across  the 
river,  in  Minnesota'. 

Pembina,  the  seat  of  the  county  of  that  name,  is  two 
miles  south  of  the  Canadian  line,  and  has  a  population  of 
1,000.  It  is  189  miles  from  Winnipeg  Junction,  414  from  St. 
Paul,  and  68  from  Winnipeg.  Pembina  is  the  oldest  town 
in  the  West,  having  been  settled  by  the  Earl  of  Selkirk's 
colonists  as  long  ago  as  1801.  Pembina  has  a  beautiful 
situation  at  the  junction  of  the  Pembina  river  with  the 
Red  river  ot  the  North.  It  was  for  many  years  one  of  the 
posts  of  the  Hudson  Bay  company.  From  a  fur-trading 
post,  frequented  by  Indians  and  half-breeds,  its  character 
has  been  changed  in  recent  years  to  that  of  a  prosperous 
market-town  for  a  rich  farming  country.  About  a  mile 
above  the  town  stands  Fort  Pembina,  Just  across  the 
Red  river  of  the  North,  in  Minnesota,  is  the  town  of 
St.  Vincent,  and  immediately  north  of  the  international 
boundary  line  is  the  important  town  of  Emerson,  with  a 
population  of  2,000.  Pembina  and  St.  Vincent  are  con- 
nected  by  ferry  across    the   Red  river.     Pembina  county 


Down  the  Red  River    Valley.  325 

is  largely  settled  by  Canadians,  French-Canadians,  and 
Icelanders,  with  a  considerable  native  American  element. 
A  trip  to  Pembina  can  be  highly  recommended  to  the 
tourist  who  wishes  to  see  something  of  the  rich  wheat 
country  of  the  lower  Red  River  valley,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  visit  a  town  which  has  an  interesting  frontier 
history,  reaching  back  to  the  beginning  of  the  present 
century. 

West  Lynne,  Manitoba,  is  the  first  town  on  British 
territory.  It  is  a  suburb  of  the  large  town  of  Emerson, 
which  is  situated  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  The 
two  places  are  connected  by  a  fine  iron  bridge.  Emerson 
has  many  substantial  brick  blocks,  and  is  a  place  of  con- 
siderable trade. 

Morris  is  the  junctional  point  whence  runs  west  a 
branch  146  miles  to  Brandon,  a  prosperous  wheat-shipping 
station  and  a  centre  for  considerable  country  trade.  Near 
Morris  is  a  large  colony  of  Mennonites,  who  speak  the 
German  language,  although  they,  or  their  ancestors, 
migrated  from  Russia.  They  live  in  small  villages,  and 
are  an  exceedingly  plain  and  thrifty  people  in  their  habits 
of  life.  They  are  industrious,  and  have  a  reputation  for 
strict  honesty  in  their  business  transactions.  Many  curious 
articles  of  domestic  furniture,  brought  from  Russia,  can  be 
seen  in  their  houses.  The  most  conspicuous  features  of 
these  dwellings  is  alwaysan  enormous  stove  or  furnace, con- 
structed of  bricks  or  stone,  which  occupies  the  center  of 
the  living  room. 


THE  MORRIS  AND  BRANDON  LINE. 


From  Morris  to  Brandon,  Manitoba,   146  Miles. 


This  branch  of  the  Northern  Pacific  &  Manitoba  system 
leaves  the  main  line  at  Morris,  in  the  Red  River  valley, 
and  running  in  a  general  course  a  little  north  of  west  ends 
at  the  flourishing  town  of  Brandon,  the  second  place  in 
population  in  the  province.  It  traverses  a  fine  prairie 
country  for  its  entire  distance,  well  occupied  by  farmers. 
This  is  the  best  wheat  region  of  Manitoba.  The  average 
yield  is  high,  and  nearly  the  whole  crop  grades  "  number 
1  hard."  At  Wawanessa  the  Souris  river  is  crossed,  and 
at  Brandon  the  road  enters  the  valley  of  the  Assiniboine. 
The  country  is  level  for  about  twenty  miles  west  of  Morris, 
and  further  on  it  becomes  more  and  more  rolling.  There 
are  occasional  groves  of  timber. 

Brandon  is  in  point  of  population  (about  4,000)  and  im- 
portance only  second  to  Winnipeg,  the  capital  of  the  Prov- 
ince of  Manitoba.  Situated  on  the  south  bank  of  the  As- 
siniboine river,  it  enjoys  many  natural  beauties  and  attrac- 
tions as  well  as  solid  advantages.  Its  elevation  affords  a 
pleasing  variety  when  compared  with  the  average  prairie 
city,  while  the  hygienic  conditions  with  which  it  is  favored 
can  scarcely  be  surpassed.  Twelve  years  ago  its  present 
site  was  chosen  and  in  that  length  of  time  a  beautiful  and 
well-built  city  has  been  erected  that  gives  every  assurance 
of  increased  prosperity  and  influence. 


In  Manitoba.  327 

Brandon  has  three  railroads:  The  Canadian  Pacific  main 
line;  the  Great  North-West  Central,  reaching  into  the  ex- 
tensive stock  region  of  North-West  Territory,  across  Assin- 
iboia,  and  the  Morris  and  Brandon  branch  of  the 
Northern  Pacific.  The  Canadian  Pacific  has  a  branch  run- 
ning southwesterly  from  a  point  a  few  miles  west  of  Bran- 
don to  the  Souris  coal  fields,  thus  furnishing  this  city  a 
good  quality  of  coal  at  a  reasonable  price. 

There  is,  however,  nothing  that  so  distinguishes  Bran- 
don and  at  the  same  time  the  country  surrounding  it  as 
the  number  of  elevators  it  possesses.  No  fewer  than  eight 
elevators  and  a  fine  large  roller-process  flouring  mill  are 
found  requisite  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  grain  trade  at 
this  point.  The  title,  "Wheat  City,"  by  which  she  is  fre- 
quently known,  is  apparently  most  appropriate.  Brandon 
claims  to  have  been  the  largest  primary  wheat  market  in 
the  world. 

A  marked  characteristic  with  Manitobans  is  their  conspic- 
uous regard  for  the  education  of  their  children.  Brandon  is 
foremost  in  this  matter,  having  primary,  intermediate  and 
high  schools  of  importance.  They  have  already  completed 
the  erection  of  a  large  and  very  commodious  building  for 
the  central  school  and  it  will  not  be  doubted  that  her 
present  high  rank  will  be  maintained  and  ample  provisions 
will  be  made  for  her  future  needs  in  this  most  important 
department.  The  Dominion  government  has  a  fine  build- 
ing here  which  is  used  for  post-office,  customs  office  and 
Dominion  land  office,  and  the  Provincial  government  has 
a  reformatory  for  boys,  near  here. 

Winnipeg  is  482  miles  from  St.  Paul.  It  is  the  capital 
of  Manitoba,  a  province  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  and 
has  30,000  inhabitants.  The  city  is  built  upon  a  plain 
where    the    Assiniboine   and    Red    rivers   unite,   and  has  a 


328  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

suburb  south  of  the  Assiniboine  called  Fort  Rouge,  and  a 
more  important  suburb  across  the  Red  river  called  St. 
Boniface.  Winnipeg  is  a  well-built  and  prosperous  city, 
with  trade  relations  extending  throughout  the  Canadian 
Northwest.  It  was  originally  a  Hudson  Bay  company 
trading  post,  protected  by  the  military  garrison  at  Fort 
Garry,  and  was  first  settled  by  fur  traders  in  the  early 
part  of  the  present  century.  A  long  and  interesting  frontier 
history  is  associated  with  the  place.  Nothing  now  remains 
of  old  Fort  Garry  but  its  stone  portal.  The  Hudson  Bay 
company  is  still  the  most  important  mercantile  concern 
in  the  city,  conducting  large  wholesale  and  retail  stores 
and  a  depot  for  furs.  All  the  operations  which  this  vener- 
able corporation  carries  on  in  Manitoba,  Assiniboia- 
Alberta,  and  the  unorganized  territories  of  the  Canadian 
northwest  are  directed  by  a  chief  commissioner  in  Winni- 
peg. Among  the  points  of  interest  to  tourists  in  the  city 
may  be  mentioned  the  old  Episcopal  church,  built  by  the 
Hudson  Bay  company,  on  the  walls  of  which  are  many 
mural  tablets  in  memory  of  the  deceased  officers  of  the 
company  and  the  members  of  their  families;  the  Parlia- 
ment House,  which  is  the  capitol  of  the  Province;  the 
residence  of  the  Lieutenant-Governor;  the  Royal  Infantry 
school  and  barracks;  the  cathedral  and  schools  of  St. 
Boniface;  the  Carleton,  St.  Johns  and  Manitoba  colleges, 
and  the  stores  of  the  Hudson  Bay  company.  The  main 
street  of  the  city  is  of  unusual  width,  and  is  substantially 
built  up  for  a  greater  part  of  its  length  of  two  miles  with 
handsome  buildings  of  yellow  and  red  brick.  One  of  the 
finest  edifices  in  the  city  is  the  Dominion  post-office 
building.  Another  is  "The  Manitoba,"  a  magnificent 
American  hotel  and  depot  built  in  1890  by  the  Northern 
Pacific  Railroad  Co.     The  City  Hall  is  also  a  very  beauti- 


In  Manitoba.  329 

ful  building,  in  front  of  which  is  a  tall,  graceful  monument 
dedicated  to  the  soldiers  who  were  slain  in  the  Riel  rebel- 
lion. Winnipeg  is  on  the  main  line  of  the  Canadian 
Pacific  railroad, and  three  branches  of  that  road  center  there. 
It  manufactures  flour,  lumber,  beer,  furniture,  machinery 
and  many  other  articles,  and  has  an  extensive  jobbing 
trade.  It  is  a  genuine  social,  commercial  and  political 
capital,  and  keeps  pace  in  its  growth  with  the  development 
of  the  Canadian  Northwest. 

An  enthusiastic  writer  in  describing  the  city,  says: 
"What  does  Winnipeg  possess?  Well,  among  other  things 
worth  mentioning,  she  has  branches  of  all  the  leading 
Canadian  banks,  branches  of  all  the  great  Canadian  and 
English  loan  and  land  companies,  agencies  of  leading 
Canadian,  British  and  American  life  and  fire  insurance 
companies;  an  active  Board  of  Trade,  and  grain  and  pro- 
duce exchanges;  ably-edited  daily  and  weekly  newspapers; 
excellent  telephone,  telegraph  and  messenger  service. 
Two  electric  light  and  one  gas  company;  street  car  lines  on 
all  principal  thoroughfares;  many  miles  of  water  mains; 
an  excellent  sewerage  and  drainage  system;  a  splendid 
police  force  and  fire  brigade,  and  unexcelled  fire-alarm 
system;  eighty-three  miles  of  graded  streets,  ten  miles  of 
paved  streets  and  150  miles  of  plank  sidewalks;  five  col- 
leges, normal  school,  fifteen  public  school  buildings  and 
twenty-one  churches.  Besides  this,  it  has  a  world-wide 
fame,  its  name  being  familiar  all  over  the  civilized  globe; 
it  has  a  prosperous  present  and  a  bright  future,  never  so 
bright  as  at  the  present;  it  has  a  continually  increasing 
population,  a  gradually-growing  commercial  importance; 
it  has  energetic,  public-spirited  citizens,  who  are  contented 
with  their  present  lot  and  hopeful  for  the  future." 

Portage  la  Prairie,  the  northern  terminus  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  &  Manitoba  railroad,  is  situated  in  the 
very  centre  of  Manitoba,  near  the  Assiniboine  river  on  the 
Canadian  Pacific's  main  line,  49  miles  west  of  the  city  of 
Winnipeg,  531  miles   from    St.  Paul,  and  has  a  population 


330  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

of  3,000.  It  is  also  the  southeastern  terminus  of  the  Mani- 
toba &  Northwestern  railway,  which  runs  northwesterly 
through  a  fertile  region  of  Manitoba  and  Northwest  Terri- 
tory a  distance  of  about  225  miles,  its  object  being  to 
reach  Prince  Albert,  a  growing  town  on  the  Saskatchewan 
river  500  miles  distant,  and  its  ultimate  destination  being 
probably  a  terminus  on  the  Pacific  ocean,  thereby  forming 
the  most  northern  route  across  the  Rockies.  Another 
railway — the  Lake  Manitoba  canal  and  railway — has  been 
charted  by  the  Government  of  Canada,  and  has  a  land 
grant  of  6,400  acres  of  Government  land  per  mile.  It  is 
projected  to  run  northerly  from  Portage  la  Prairie  to  the 
southwestern  shore  of  Lake  Manitoba,  thence  northerly 
about  100  miles  to  the  newly  opened  Lake  Dauphin  region, 
in  which  there  are  thousands  oL  the  choicest  homesteads 
to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  Northwest,  and  which  are 
being  rapidly  taken  up  by  settlers. 

Portage  la  Prairie  is  situated  in  one  of  the  oldest  settle- 
ments in  Manitoba.  Settlers  as  early  as  i860  began  to 
come  in  and  settle  on  the  beautiful  prairies  to  the  north, 
east  and  west  of  it.  These  prairies,  called  the  "  Portage 
Plains/'  soon  became  known  far  and  wide  as  the  very 
garden  of  Manitoba,  whose  fertility  and  freedom  from 
drought,  flooding  and  frost  made  it  a  farmer's  Eden.  As  a 
result  of  these  beneficent  qualities  of  soil  andclimate,  no  por- 
tion of  Manitoba  is  so  thickly  settled  as  the  Portage  Plains. 

The  Central  school  building  is  a  large,  fine,  solid  two- 
story  brick  structure,  capable  of  accommodating  800  chil- 
dren. The  Home  for  Incurables  is  a  recently  erected 
Government  institution,  and  is  the  most  beautiful  building 
in  the  place.  It  is  of  solid  brick,  with  a  double  tier  of 
verandas,  and  presents  a  fine  appearance  as  seen  from  the 
windows  of  passing  railway  trains. 


FARGO  &  SOUTHWESTERN  BRANCH. 


Fargo  to  Edgeley,  North  Dakota. — 109  Miles. 


This  important  branch  of  the  Northern  Pacific  runs 
through  one  of  the  finest  agricultural  regions  in  N.  Dakota. 
The  road  extends  to  Edgeley,  twenty-one  miles  west  of 
the  James  river.  The  country  traversed  is  for  the  first 
forty  miles  level  prairie,  then  becomes  slightly  rolling,  and 
the  uneven  character  of  the  ground  increases  after  the 
Sheyenne  river  is  crossed  at  Lisbon.  Between  Lisbon  and 
La  Moure  the  drainage  for  the  most  part  is  into  numerous 
small  lakes  and  ponds.  The  whole  country  is  of  almost 
uniform  fertility.  The  settlement  has  been  rapid  all 
along  the  line  since  it  was  opened  a  few  years  ago,  and 
several  thrifty,  substantial  towns  show  that  the  country 
has  been  prosperous. 

Sheldon  is  an  important  trading  and  wheat-shipping 
point,  there  being  five  elevators  in  the  place.  It  is  a  thrifty 
community  of  some  five  hundred  people,  forty-one  miles 
from  Fargo.  Sheldon  has  a  reputation  for  fine  draft 
horses,  which  are  raised  near  here  and  shipped  East. 

Lisbon  and  Ransom  County. — Among  all  the  North 
Dakota  counties  there  is  none  that  possesses  more  natural 
beauty  than  Ransom,  and  very  few  that  can  equal  its 
record  of  steady  progress  and  unbroken  prosperity.  Its 
special  beauty  comes  chiefly  from  the  Sheyenne  river, 
which,  entering  the  county  in  its  most  northwestern  town- 


332  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

ship,  flows  southwest  until  it  touches  one  of  the  townships 
of  the  southern  tier.  Everywhere  the  Sheyenne  forms  an 
exceedingly  picturesque  valley,  wooded  for  the  most  part 
with  a  fine  growth  of  sturdy  oaks  and  graceful  cotton- 
woods.  There  are  a  few  small  lakes  and  ponds  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Ransom,  but  the  river  is  the  great  land- 
scape feature.  On  both  sides  of  the  bluffs  that  buttress 
the  narrow  and  winding  valley,  the  surface  of  the  country 
spreads  out  in  vast  stretches  of  gently-undulating  and 
highly  fertile  prairie. 

Lisbon,  the  county  seat,  is  the  commercial  centre  of  a 
wide  scope  of  farming  country,  and  in  many  respects  a 
handsome  town.  It  has  about  1,500  inhabitants.  The 
North  Dakota  Soldiers'  Home  and  a  Baptist  educational 
institution  are  located  here.  The  if  Soo  "  line  passes  a 
few  miles  to  the  northwest. 

La  Moure,  88  miles  from  Fargo,  has  a  population  of 
1,000.  It  is  the  county  seat  of  La  Moure  county  and  is 
located  at  the  crossing  of  the  Fargo  &  Southwestern 
branch  and  the  James  River  Valley  railroad;  is  situated  on 
the  James  river,  from  1,400  to  1,500  feet  above  the  sea-level, 
with  a  gradual  slope  to  the  river,  affording  fine  drainage, 
the  surrounding  country  being  chiefly  a  beautiful,  slightly 
undulating  prairie.  La  Moure  has  a  handsome  brick  hotel 
costing  $25,000.  The  town  was  first  established  in  1883, 
and  has  had  a  steady,  substantial  growth.  The  railroad 
will  finally  be  extended  to  some  point  on  the  Missouri. 
The  James  River  Valley  railroad,  following  the  course  of 
the  James  river,  was  opened  from  Jamestown,  forty-nine 
miles  north  of  La  Moure,  to  La  Moure  in  1885.  It  has 
since  been  extended  southward  to  Oakes,  on  the  Chicago 
&  Northwestern  and  the  ((  Soo  "  lines. 

Farming  in  the  Vicinity  of  La  Moure. — The  soil  of 


Farming  in  La  Moure  County.  333 

the  middle  James  River  valley,  of  which  La  Moure  is  the 
commercial  center,  is  peculiarly  suitable  for  the  growth  of 
all  cereal  and  root  crops.  The  No.  i  hard  wheat  grown 
here  has  made  itself  famous  in  the  markets  of  the  world, 
and  has  been  shown,  by  the  official  analysis  of  the  Agri- 
cultural Department  in  Washington,  to  surpass  all  the 
wheats  grown  in  any  other  part  of  the  United  States  in 
weight,  nutritive  qualities,  etc. 

Edgeley,  109  miles  from  Fargo,  is  the  present  termi- 
nus of  the  Fargo  &  Southwestern  railroad,  and  is  the 
northern  terminus  of  one  of  the  Dakota  divisions  of  the 
Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  road.  It  was  established 
in  1887,  and  has  a  population  of  about  500.  The  surround- 
ing country  is  well  settled  with  a  thrifty  population  of 
farmers  engaged  in  the  raising  of  grain  and  stock.  Stages 
run  from  Edgeley  to  Napoleon,  the  county  seat  of  Logan 
county,  about  forty  miles  west. 


SANBORN    COOPERSTOWN    &    TURTLE 
MOUNTAIN   BRANCH, 


Sanborn  to  Cooperstown,  North  Dakota,  36  Miles. 


This  branch  is  completed  to  Cooperstown,  36  miles  north 
of  Sanborn.  It  traverses  a  remarkably  rich  prairie  country 
for  its  entire  length.  The  surface  grows  more  and  more 
rolling  as  the  train  advances  northward,  until  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Cooperstown  it  is  diversified  with  numerous  ridges 
of  hills.  The  soil  on  these  hills,  except  on  their  crests, 
where  it  is  somewhat  stony,  is  as  valuable  for  farming  as 
the  level  stretches  between  them. 

Cooperstown,  with  a  population  of  500,  is  the  county 
seat  of  Griggs  county.  The  town  was  established  in  the 
spring  of  1883,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  the  railroad 
from  Sanborn  was  completed,  making  it  a  terminal  point 
and  an  important  centre  of  trade.  Cooperstown  has  a 
court  house  built  of  red  brick  at  a  cost  of  $30,000,  which  is 
one  of  the  most  substantial  and  imposing  public  edifices 
in  North  Dakota. 

Griggs  county  is  one  of  the  best  parts  of  North  Dakota 
for  mixed  farming.  A  large  part  of  its  surface  is  admira- 
bly adapted  for  wheat  culture,  and  there  are  numerous 
lakes  and  ponds,  bordered  by  meadowed  lands  and  excel- 
lent pasturage  tracts,  which  give  good  facilities  for  stock- 
raising.  The  Sheyenne  river  runs  through  the  eastern 
part  of  the  county,    affording    several   good    mill    powers, 


The  Cooperstown  Branch. 


335 


and  having  on  its  banks  numerous  groves  of  timber,  which 
are  of  great  value  in  giving  the  farmers  cheap  fuel.  The 
lands  of  the  Cooper  Brothers,  who  are  among  the  largest 
land-owners  in  North  Dakota,  are  mostly  all  in  Griggs 
county. 


JAMES  RIVER  VALLEY  RAILROAD. 


Jamestown  to  Oakes,  North  Dakota,  69  Miles. 


This  line  begins  at  Jamestown,  and  following  the  course 
of  the  James  river,  runs  southward  to  Oakes,  where  it 
connects  with  one  of  the  lines  of  the  Chicago  &  North- 
western system,  and  also  with  a  line  of  the  Minneapolis, 
St.  Paul  &  Sault  Ste.  Marie  Ry.  It  furnishes  the  connec- 
ting link  between  the  railroad  system  of  North  and  South 
Dakota.  The  road  traverses  a  good  agricultural  country. 
The  valley  proper  of  the  James  river  is  a  narrow  one,  the 
bottom  lands  having  a  width  of  from  one  to  three  miles 
between  the  rolling  uplands  on  either  side.  Occasional 
groves  of  Cottonwood  are  found  near  the  stream.  The 
valley  has  a  light  black-loam  soil,  and  for  general  fertility 
and  adaptability  to  both  small  and  large  farming  is  unsur- 
passed. 

Grand  Rapids,  41  miles  from  Jamestown,  has  a  popu- 
lation of  about  300,  and  is  situated  in  the  midst  of  fine 
farming  country. 

La  Moure,  the  next  and  larger  town,  is  mentioned  in 
the  Fargo  &  Southwestern  description,  which  branch 
extends  to  Edgeley,  twenty-one  miles  west. 

At  Glover,  the  second  station  below  La  Moure,  is  the 
big  farm  of  Samuel  Glover,  containing  several  thousand 
acres,  finely  equipped  and    well   managed,  on   2,700  acres 


338 


The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 


of  which,  in  1891,  he  grew    over   60,000  bushels  of   high- 
grade  wheat. 

Oakes,  terminus  of  the  James  River  Valley  branch,  has 
upwards  of  700  people.  It  is  an  important  railroad  point, 
having  a  principal  line  of  the  Minneapolis,  St.  Paul  &  Sault 
Ste.  Marie  Ry.,  and  a  feeder  of  the  main  line  in  South 
Dakota  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern.  This  gives  Oakes 
a  strong  commercial  advantage  in  an  extensive  area  of 
wheat  and  stock  country.     It  has  had  a  steady  growth. 


JAMESTOWN     AND     NORTHERN 
RAILROAD. 


Jamestown  to  Leeds,  N.   Dakota,    108  Miles. 


This  important  branch  of  the  Northern  Pacific  system, 
leaving  the  main  line  at  Jamestown,  follows  the  valley  of 
the  Pipestone  river  for  a  distance  of  about  thirty  miles, 
the  general  direction  being  northwest;  then  turning  north, 
crosses  the  James  and  Sheyenne  rivers,  and  terminates  at 
Leeds,  on  the  Great  Northern's  main  line,  northwest  of 
Devil's  Lake.  With  the  exception  of  a  range  of  gravelly 
hills  between  the  James  and  the  Sheyenne,  the  whole 
region  traversed  by  the  road  is  a  rich  prairie,  more  or  less 
rolling,  and  taking  a  leading  rank  among  the  best  agricul- 
tural sections  of  North  Dakota. 

Carrington  (43  miles  from  Jamestown;  population, 
500)  was  established  in  1883,  by  the  Carrington  &  Casey 
Land  company,  a  corporation  owning  large  tracts  of  land 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  place.  It  has  two  hotels,  two  news- 
papers, two  elevators  and  numerous  stores  and  shops,  and 
is  an  important  grain-shipping  point.  It  is  the  county  seat 
of  Foster  county,  settled  largely  by  Americans  who  came 
here  from  Eastern  States  with  little  else  than  energy  and 
a  practical  knowledge  of  farming.  They  met  with  many 
reverses,  but  one  or  two  good  crops  placed  them  on  a  firm 
footing,  and  they  are  fixtures  in  the  country.     These  stout 


340  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

hearted  pioneers  now  live  more  at  ease,  and  work  more 
with  their  heads  than  with  their  hands.  It  is  the  history 
of  Eastern  and  Middle  States  repeated.  At  Carrington  is 
the  junction  of  the 

Mouse  River  Branch,  which  leaves  the  Jamestown 
&  Northern  R.  R.  and  runs  due  west  to  Sykeston,  a  dis- 
tance of  thirteen  miles.  From  Sykeston  it  will  be  continued 
in  a  northwestern  direction  to  some  point  in  the  valley  of  the 
Mouse  river,  a  further  distance  of  about  seventy-five  miles, 
traversing  for  its  entire  length  a  rolling  prairie  country 
having  the  general  characteristics,  as  to  fertility,  of  the 
country  between  Jamestown  and  Carrington. 

Sykeston  (thirteen  miles  from  Carrington  and  fifty-six 
miles  from  Jamestown,  population  300)  is  the  county  seat 
of  Wells  county,  and  is  situated  near  the  source  of  the 
Pipestone  river,  and  a  short  distance  from  the  bold  eleva- 
tion known  as  the  "  Hawk's  Nest,"  which  is  a  sort  of  abut- 
ment of  the  coteaux,  and  is  a  conspicuous  object  in  the 
landscape  for  many  miles  around.  Sykeston  is  a  town 
created  by  the  real  estate  and  farming  operations  of  the 
English  company  of  Sykes  &  Hughes.  This  company 
owns  and  farms  large  tracts  of  land  in  the  vicinity,  and 
makes  active  efforts  to  attract  American  emigrants  to  this 
portion  of  the  Northern  Pacific.  The  town  has  a  news- 
paper, two  elevators,  a  school,  and  a  number  of  stores  and 
shops. 

New  Rockford  (fifty-nine  miles  from  Jamestown;  popu- 
lation, 700)  is  the  county  seat  of  Eddy  county,  and  is  situ- 
ated on  a  prairie  sloping  to  the  west  of  the  James  river. 
It  has  two  elevators,  two  newspapers,  and  numerous 
mercantile  establishments,  and  is  surrounded  on  all  sides 
by  stretches  of  fertile  prairie,  extending  as  far  as  the  eye 
can  reach.  The  railroad  here  crosses  the  James  river,  a 
small  stream  at  this    point.     The   source   of   the  James  is 


The  Jamestown  cV  Northern.  341 

about  thirty  miles  west  of  New  Rockford.  At  Sheyenne 
(seventy  miles  from  Jamestown)  the  Sheyenne  river  is 
crossed.  It  has  a  volume  of  water  at  this  point  not  greater 
than  that  of  the  James,  but  becomes  on  its  lower  course  an 
important  river. 

Fort  Totten. — This  military  post  is  situated  on  the 
southern  shore  of  Devil's  lake,  about  midway  between  its 
eastern  and  western  extremities  and  ten  miles  from  the 
Northern  Pacific.  The  buildings  are  substantial  brick 
structures,  and  the  fort  has  a  more  permanent  appearance 
than  is  usual  with  frontier  military  stations.  There  are 
two  small  hotels  at  the  fort  which  accommodate  tourists 
and  sportsmen.  A  steamboat  runs  to  Minnewaukan,  and 
also  to  Devil's  Lake,  a  town  of  about  2,000  inhabi- 
tants at  the  head  of  a  deep  bay  on  the  northern  shore  of 
the  lake. 

Minnewaukan  (90  miles  from  Jamestown)  was  estab- 
lished in  1884.  It  is  the  county  seat  of  Benson  county  and 
lias  a  population  of  about  500.  It  is  a  favorite  summer 
resort  for  tourists  who  wish  to  enjoy  the  scenery  of  Devil's 
lake  and  its  facilities  for  fishing  and  shooting.  Minne- 
waukan is  the  trade  center  for  a  large  extent  of  country. 
It  has  a  newspaper,  a  bank,  a  grain  elevator,  a  flour  mill 
and  numerous  mercantile  establishments.  A  steamboat 
runs  during  the  season  of  navigation  between  Minnewau- 
kan and  Fort  Totten  and  Devil's  Lake. 

Devil's  Lake. — This  remarkable  body  of  water  is 
about  50  miles  in  length,  and  has  a  width  varying  from 
one  to  five  miles.  It  has  no  outlet,  and  its  waters  are 
strongly  saline.  It  receives  no  important  streams,  and  in 
consequence  appears  to  be  slowly  diminishing  in  volume  by 
tion.  Well-marked  former  beaches  show  that  the 
1  of  its  waters  was  at  one  time  about  twenty  feet  higher 
than  at  present.     A  considerable  portion  of  the  shore  line 


342  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

of  the  lake  is  heavily  timbered  with  large  oak  trees.  These 
forests  add  greatly  to  the  attractiveness  of  the  lake  in  an 
open  prairie  country  like  North  Dakota.  The  waters  of 
the  lake  are  of  a  beautiful  sea-green  color,  and  are  said  to 
have  possessed  valuable  curative  properties.  The  lake 
abounds  in  pickerel,  and  is  the  resort  of  myriads  of  wild 
fowl;  geese,  brant,  and  different  species  of  wild  ducks  fre- 
quent its  waters,  and  make  it  a  favorite  resort  for  sportsmen. 

The  Indian  name  is  Minnewaukan,  which  means  "  spirit 
waters."  The  lake  was  believed  by  the  Indians  to  be 
haunted;  and  there  is  a  legend  which  relates  that  a  party 
of  Sioux  Indians  once  attempted  to  cross  it  in  boats,  in 
spite  of  the  warnings  of  the  medicine  men,  and  that  their 
canoes  were  seized  in  the  middle  of  the  lake  by  some  mys- 
terious power  and  dragged  to  the  bottom,  so  that  neither 
boats  nor  voyagers  wereever  seen  again.  Since  that  time  the 
Indians  never  ventured  upon  the  lake  in  any  sort  of  craft. 

A  large  portion  of  the  southern  side  of  the  lake  is  occu- 
pied by  the  reservation  of  the  Cut-head  Sioux  Indians,  who 
number  about  2,000  souls,  and  are  peaceable  and  tolerably 
industrious,  cultivating  small  spots  of  grain  and  potatoes, 
and  keeping  cattle  and  horses.  They  are  mainly  Catholics 
in  religion,  and  there  is  a  mission  for  the  reservation  under 
the  management  of  the  "  Gray  Nuns,"  where  the  Indian 
children  are  educated. 

Leeds  is  a  station  on  the  main  line  of  the  Great  North- 
ern railroad,  and  the  terminus  of  the  Jamestown  and 
Northern  branch  of  the  Northern  Pacific.  Besides  enjoy- 
ing the  benefits  of  railroad  competition,  Leeds  lies  in  the 
centre  of  a  fine  country. 


ROCKY  FORK  AND  COOKE  CITY 
RAILROAD. 


Laurel  to  Red  Lodge,  Montana,  50  Miles. 


This  road  was  built  in  1888  and  1889  for  the  purpose  of 
reaching  the  remarkable  coal  deposits  on  the  Rocky  Fork, 
south  of  the  Yellowstone,  and  also,  by  a  future  extension 
from  that  place,  to  afford  railroad  transportation  to  the 
silver  mining  camp  of  Cooke  City,  near  the  eastern  borders 
of  the  National  Park.  The  road  was  open  for  traffic  in  the 
spring  of  1889  as  far  as  the  new  town  of  Red  Lodge,  created 
by  the  coal  mining  operations.  It  crosses  the  Yellowstone 
runs  through  a  picturesque  grazing  country,  reaching  its 
present  terminus  by  gradients  of  from  26  to  no  feet  per 
mile. 

The  Rocky  Fork  Coal. — This  coal  is  bituminous  in  its 
character  and  is  so  rich  in  combustible  matter  that  pieces 
of  it  can  be  lighted  with  a  match.  The  veins  are  from  six 
to  thirty  feet  in  thickness  and  the  out-croppings  are  on  the 
sides  of  the  hills,  situated  so  that  they  can  be  economically 
worked  by  means  of  levels.  The  coal  is  mined  in  large 
quantities  for  railway  consumption  and  is  shipped  for  do- 
mestic fuel  to  all  the  Montana  towns. 

Red  Lodge  (50  miles  from  Laurel,  population  1,000.) 
— This  active  mining  town  was  laid  out  in  March,  1889, 
and  developed  with  a  rapidity   rarely    seen  except    in    the 


344 


The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 


mining  camps  where  placer  gold  is  found.  The  re- 
sources of  the  place,  in  its  inexhaustible  coal  mines,  its 
abundant  and  easily  utilized  water-power,  and  in  the  graz- 
ing and  farming  regions  surrounding  it,  make  it  one  of  the 
most  important  towns  in  Montana.  It  has  considerable 
trade  with  mines  and  cattle  ranches  as  far  south  as  Wyoming. 


Palisades  of  the  Yellows- 


ROCKY    MOUNTAIN    RAILROAD    OF 

MONTANA— YELLOWSTONE 

PARK    LINE. 


Livingston  to  Cinnabar,  Montana,  51  Miles. 


This  branch  of  the  Northern  Pacific  system  was  built 
for  the  purpose  of  facilitating  tourist  travel  to  the  National 
Park.  After  leaving  Livingston  it  runs  through  the  lower 
canyon  of  the  Yellowstone,  and  then  through  a  narrow  bu-t 
fertile  valley,  and  terminates  at  Cinnabar,  just  north  of 
the  northern  boundary  of  the  park.  The  scenery  along 
the  road  is  among  the  most  picturesque  and  beautiful  to 
be  found  in  the  entire  Rocky  Mountain  region.  The 
mountain  peaks  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley  are 
singularly  bold  and  impressive.  Their  summits  are  crowned 
with  beetling  crags  of  massive  rock  and  are  covered  with 
snow  the  greater  part  of  the  year. 

Horr,  two  miles  from  the  terminus  of  this  branch,  is  a 
lively  coal-mining  village,  where  thirty-six  coke  ovens  are 
in  operation,  making  coke  equal  in  quality  to  the  famous 
product  of  Connellsville,  Pennsylvania. 

Cinnabar,  the  terminus  of  the  Park  branch,  derives  its 
importance  from  its  railway  business,  and  from  the  team- 
ing to  the  Cooke  City  silver  mining  district.  Stages  leave 
Cinnabar,  connecting  with  each  arriving  train,  for  the 
Mammoth  Hot  Springs  hotel,  which  is  the  rendezvous  and 
distributing  point  for  all  the  tourist  travel  in  the  National 
Park. 

346 


NORTHERN     PACIFIC    AND    MONTANA 
BRANCH. 


Logan  to  Garrison,  Mont.,  by  way  of  Butte,  123  Miles. 


Trains  on  the  road  are  made  up  at  Bozeman  and  follow 
the  mail  line  twenty-four  miles  before  diverging  at  Logan. 
The  road  runs  up  the  valley  of  the  Jefferson  river,  one  of 
the  three  forks  of  the  Missouri,  and  through  the  Jefferson 
canyon,  a  savage  gorge  in  one  of  the  outlying  ranges  of 
the  Rockies.  The  scenery  is  bold  and  fantastic.  The  Main 
Divide  of  the  Rockies  is  crossed  at  Pipestone  Pass  at  an 
altitude  of  about  6,000  feet,  the  road  winding  like  a  serpent 
along  the  flanks  of  the  range  and  gaining  over  one  hun- 
dred feet  of  elevation  in  every  mile.  Numerous  high  tres- 
tle bridges  spanning  ravines  are  crossed.  There  is  a  small 
tunnel  at  the  summit.  On  the  western  side  the  road 
descends  rapidly  to  the  valley  of  Silver  Bow  creek.  Here 
the  mountain  views  are  peculiarly  impressive.  Suddenly 
the  smoky  city  of  Butte  lies  in  front  of  the  train  as  the  line 
makes  a  curve,  its  whole  bulk  of  closely  built  streets  of 
smelters,  reduction  works  and  mines  being  distinctly  vis- 
ible on  the  near  slope  of  a  mountain  side. 

Butte  City,  1,232  miles  from  St.  Paul,  population  30,- 
000,  is  situated  near  the  head  of  Silver  Bow  valley,  and 
about  fifteen  miles  west  of  the  Pipestone  Pass  of  the  main 
range  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  on  ground  sloping  to  the 
south.      Its  altitude  is  5,701  feet.     It  is  the  county  seat  of 

347 


348  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

Silver  Bow  county,  and  is  famous  for  its  quartz  mines, 
which  are  so  largely  developed  as  to  make  Butte  the  most 
important  mining  center  in  the  world. 

In  1875  the  first  mill  was  constructed  for  working  the 
silver  ores  of  the  camp,  and  the  population  did  not  exceed 
200.  To-day  Butte  City  counts  its  inhabitants  by  thou- 
sands. The  veins  are  true  fissures,  yielding  largely  of 
copper  and  silver,  and  assaying  well.  It  is  estimated  that 
there  are  over  300  miles  of  veins  in  the  district,  varying  in 
width  from  thirty  to  fifty  feet,  and  developed  to  a  depth 
of  from  400  to  1,000  feet.  Butte  has  daily  newspapers,  an 
opera  house,  a  handsome  court-house,  built  of  brick  and 
stonr,  a  street  railroad  system,  water-works,  using  the 
water  pumped  from  one  of  the  mines,  gas  and  electric 
light,  and  is,  in  short,  a  brisk  and  busy  city.  The  great 
silver  mines  and  mills  are  on  the  immediate  outskirts  of 
the  city,  and  each  is  the  centre  of  a  populous  village  of 
workmen  and  their  families.  Railway  facilities  are  fur- 
nished by  the  Northern  Pacific,  the  Union  Pacific  and  the 
Montana  Union,  the  latter  being  a  line  to  Anaconda  and 
Garrison  used  jointly  by  the  two  former  companies.  The 
following  description  of  Butte  appeared  in  the  Northwest 
Magazine. 

There  is  only  one  Butte.  This  city  of  mines,  perched 
on  the  backbone  of  the  continent,  is  unique.  There  is  no 
place  like  it  on  the  face  of  the  globe.  True,  it  has  resem- 
blances with  Virginia  City  and  Leadville,  as  those  places 
were  in  their  palmy  days,  but  Butte,  with  all  the  pictur- 
esque phases  of  mining  life  which  they  exhibited,  has  a 
dignity  and  solidity  that  comes  from  the  possession  of 
great  and  permanent  wealth.  Besides,  Butte  flourishes 
all  the  time.  She  has  no  ups  and  downs.  The  fluctua- 
tions   in  the   price    of   silver  only   make  her  more  or  less 


The  World's  Greatest  Mining  Town.  349 

rich  in  her  steady  increase,  but  she  is  never  poor — 
never  depressed.  Within  a  radius  of  two  miles  from  her 
court  house  ores  of  silver  and  copper  of  the  enormous 
aggregate  value  of  twenty-five  millions  of  dollars  are 
annually  dug  out  of  the  earth.  Nowhere  else  on  the  surface 
of  the  globe  does  so  small  an  area  of  territory  yield  from 
the  storehouse  of  nature  such  a  vast  sum  of  wealth.  A 
very  large  share  of  this  great  annual  revenue  which  Butte 
extracts  from  the  rocks  goes  to  labor.  It  follows  that  labor 
is  nowhere  more  independent  or  better  paid.  Being  a 
wealthy  place  Butte  is  naturally  luxurious,  but  luxury 
here  does  not  take  the  form  of  handsome  houses  and  stately 
business  blocks,  or  of  costly  public  improvements.  All 
these  will  come  in  time,  but  thus  far  the  traditions  of  a 
mining  camp  are  dominant.  The  richest  man  in  Butte 
died  lately,  leaving  an  estate  of  seven  millions.  His  home 
was  a  one-story  brick  cottage  of  five  or  six  rooms.  Two- 
story  dwellings  are  common  in  the  newer  points  of  the 
city,  but  they  are  noticeable  exceptions  to  the  rule  of  the 
little  cottage  of  wood  or  brick.  You  can't  judge  of  a  man's 
means  by  the  exterior  of  the  house  he  lives  in.  A  friend 
took  me  to  see  the  "little  three-room  cottage"  he  was  build- 
ing. It  had,  in  fact,  but  three  rooms  and  a  kitchen,  but 
the  rooms  were  large  and  furnished  in  fine  woods,  and  the 
"cottage"  will  cost  him  seven  or  eight  thousand  dollars. 
I  have  sought  for  a  solid  explanation  of  this  predilection 
of  Butte  people  for  living  on  the  ground  floor.  One  old 
resident  accounted  for  it  in  this  way:  "You  see,  the  miners 
first  lived  in  tents;  then  they  built  shanties,  and  when  they 
were  rich  enough  to  build  houses  they  didn't  put  in  any 
stairs  or  upper  stories,  because  they  were  not  used  to  such 
things."  Another  man  said  that  the  women  did  not  like 
to  climb  stairs  in  the  thin  atmosphere  of  this  high  altitude. 


350  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

The  same  fondness  for  hugging  the  ground  from  which 
the  wealth  of  the  city  comes  is  shown  in  the  business 
structures.  Until  very  recently  there  was  not  a  three-story 
structure  on  the  main  street.  Many  of  the  wealthiest 
merchants  carry  on  their  trade  in  one-story  buildings. 
The  banks  are  very  rich — one  of  them  ranks  third  in  the 
United  States — but  they  are  housed  in  insignificant  edifices. 
How,  then,  is  Butte  luxurious?  In  daily  expenditures  for 
living.  The  city  is  an  enormous  consumer  for  her  popula- 
tion of  3O3O00.  Nothing  is  too  good  to  eat,  or  to  drink  or 
to  wear.  The  finest  of  California  fruits  are  brought  in  by 
the  car-load;  fish  come  from  the  Atlantic,  from  Lake 
Superior,  from  the  Pacific  and  from  the  trout  streams  of 
the  mountains,  and  early  vegetables  from  Salt  Lake  City; 
beef  comes  1,500  miles  from  Kansas  City  and  Omaha;  beer 
by  the  train  load  from  Milwaukee  and  St.  Louis;  more 
champagne  is  drunk  than  in  any  Eastern  city  of  a  hundred 
thousand  inhabitants.  There  is  also  marked  extravagance 
in  clothing,  in  jewelry  and  in  furniture.  In  the  little  one- 
story  cottages  you  will  often  find  rich  furnishings,  silver 
ware,  porcelain  and  costly  pictures.  In  amusements,  too, 
there  is  much  lavish  use  of  money.  The  best  actors  and 
singers  come  to  the  opera-house.  Lavish  expenditure  is 
shown  in  the  support  of  innumerable  bar-rooms  and  other 
resorts,  which  are  always  conspicuous  in  mining  towns,  in 
the  many  hack  carriages  to  be  seen  on  the  streets  at  all 
hours  of  the  twenty-four,  in  the  charges  for  small  things 
and  small  services — the  barber  charges  a  quarter  for  a 
shave  and  the  boot-black  from  fifteen  cents  to  a  quarter 
for  a  shine.  In  the  dry-goods  houses  you  will  find  the 
costliest  fabrics  and  the  latest  fancies  of  Eastern  fashion; 
in  the  jewelry  stores  diamonds  that  can  scarcely  be  matched 
for  cost    this  side  of  Chicago;  in  the  grocery  stores  every 


352  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

delicacy  to  tempt  the  palate  that  a  world's  commerce 
affords.  The  daily  newspapers  contain  full  telegraphic 
news,  dispatches  which  only  a  liberal  patronage  could 
enable  them  to  take.  For  street  conveyance  there  is  a  cable 
road,  a  steam  motor  road  and  an  electric  road.  If  the 
visitor  is  diposed  to  criticise  the  lack  of  noticeable  business 
blocks  and  the  streets  of  one-story  cottages,  he  should 
reflect  that  the  costly  construction  work  of  Butte  is  under- 
ground— in  shafts  piercing  the  mountain  side  to  a  depth 
in  some  places  of  1,400  feet  and  in  miles  and  miles  of 
galleries,  cut  out  of  the  solid  rock  and  the  hard  ores. 
Millions  of  money  have  gone  into  these  subterranean  streets 
and  chambers,  and  many  more  millions  have  been  taken 
out.  A  network  of  ore  veins  enwraps  and  underlies  the 
city.  A  map  of  Butte  showing  by  diverse  colors  the  various 
mining  claims  looks  like  a  crazy  quilt. 

Let  me  now  resume  in  a  paragraph  or  two  a  few  lead- 
ing facts  concerning  the  situation  and  appearance  of  Butte. 
The  city  begins  in  the  valley  of  Silver  Bow  creek,  where 
are  the  railway  yards  and  the  Parrot  smelter,  and  climbs 
by  a  grade  not  steep  for  a  mountain  town  one  of  the  foot- 
hills of  the  Rockies.  On  the  crest  of  the  hill  the  shaft 
houses,  concentrators  and  rock  piles  of  the  chief  mines — 
the  Anaconda,  the  Mountain  View,  the  Parrot,  the  Lexing- 
ton, the  Moulton  and  the  Alice  stand  out  boldly  against 
the  sky-line.  Main  street  runs  from  the  valley  to  the  hill- 
top and  thence  on  to  the  suburb  of  Walkerville,  and  is  an 
exceedingly  lively  and  picturesque  thoroughfare.  A  very 
good  way  to  get  a  comprehension  of  the  physical  geogra- 
phy of  Butte  is  to  take  the  cable  road  on  this  street  to  its 
terminus  and  return  by  the  same  route.  On  the  down 
trip  you  enjoy  a  view  of  remarkable  interest  and  grandeur. 
The  city  is  right  at  your  feet,  densely  built  and  teeming 


The  World's  Greatest  Mining   Town.  353 

with  activity;  beyond  are  the  black  smelters  in  the  brown 
valley  flaunting  their  banners  of  smoke  and  steam  in  the 
frosty  air.  Yonder  is  a  long  ore  train  on  its  way  to  Ana- 
conda, and  around  to  the  left  a  passenger  train  that  has 
come  all  the  way  from  Puget  sound  is  climbing  the  grade 
on  the  pine-clad  slope  of  the  Main  Divide,  on  its  way  to 
St.  Paul  and  Chicago.  To  the  right,  and  close  to  the 
town,  rises  the  bare,  cone-shaped  butte,  which  gave  a  name 
to  the  early  placer  diggings  near  its  base,  and  later  to  the 
quartz  camp  that  became  a  village,  and  from  a  village 
developed  into  the  richest  mining  city  in  the  world.  Be- 
yond the  valley  are  piled  range  on  range  and  peak  on  peak 
of  the  Rockies,  forming  a  superb  amphitheatre  of  black 
and  white — black  with  the  pine  forests  and  white  with 
snow — walling  the  far  horizon  on  every  side. 

About  midway  up  the  hill  slope  are  four  parallel  busi- 
ness streets,  crossing  Main  street,  each  with  peculiarities 
of  its  own.  First  comes  Mercury  street,  the  favorite  resort 
of  the  nether  world,  rather  dull  by  day,  but  very  lively  by 
night— a  noisy,  jolly,  irresponsible  street,  always  shown  to 
strangers  as  a  curiosity.  Next  comes  Park  street,  the  chief 
avenue  for  small  retail  commerce  and  for  the  merchandise 
trades;  further  up  is  Broadway,  on  which  stand  the  leading 
hotels  and  the  opera  house  and  then,  on  the  upper  confines 
of  the  business  district,  is  Granite  street,  with  its  stately 
court  house  and  with  office  buildings  occupied  by  lawyers 
and  real  estate  agents.  The  best  sites  for  business  build- 
ings on  ground  not  already  occupied  are  on  Broadway  and 
Granite  and  these  two  streets  are  plainly  destined  to  rapid 
improvement.  The  best  residence  district  is  west  of  Main 
street,  running  out  for  half  a  mile  on  nearly  level 
ground,  then  dipping  down  into  a  gulch  and  rising  on  a 
sightly   hillside  where  there  is  ample  room  for  expansion. 


354  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

An  electric  road  runs  from  the  railway  stations  across  town 
to  the  verge  of  the  new  residence  suburb  and  a  steam 
motor  line  goes  from  the  business  center  through  South 
Butte  to  Meaderville,  three  miles  distant. 

The  Mines  of  Butte. — Butte  City  is  to-day  the  largest 
and  most  prosperous  mining  camp  on  the  face  of  the  earth, 
its  title  to  the  honor  being  undisputed  by  any  mining  man 
who  has  ever  set  foot  within  its  confines  and  examined  the 
wonderful  mineral  resources  with  which  it  is  surrounded. 
The  first  mining  done  about  Butte  was  along  the  bed-rock  of 
Silver  Bow  creek,  which  flows  from  east  to  west  not  more 
than  three  hundred  yards  south  of  the  city  limits.  This  was 
late  in  the  fall  of  1863,  when  placer-mining  for  gold  was 
being  carried  on  so  successfully  in  Alder  Gulch  and  other 
parts  of  Montana.  At  that  time  Silver  Bow  creek  was 
worked  for  the  gold  it  contained,  but  after  the  coarser 
metal  had  been  washed  from  the  gravel  many  of  the  miners 
began  to  cast  about  for  the  source  from  which  the  gold 
came,  while  others  drifted  off  in  search  of  other  diggings. 
During  the  early  spring  of  1864,  those  who  stuck  to  the 
diggings  erected  crude  cabins  on  the  present  townsite,  and 
christened  the  place  Butte,  after  a  large  bald  hill  that 
stands  just  west  of  the  city  limits.  As  near  as  can  be 
learned  the  first  quartz  location  was  made  north  of  the  city 
on  August  14,  1864,  since  which  time  the  number  of  loca- 
tions has  increased  to  about  4,000.  During  the  early  days 
of  Butte  little  value  was  placed  on  the  quartz  properties, 
because  there  were  no  facilities  at  hand  for  treating 
the  ores  and  no  immediate  prospects  of  such  a 
desirable  state  of  affairs  being  brought  about  on 
account  of  the  isolated  condition  of  the  camp.  Valuable 
prospects  sold  for  a  mere  song,  the  Lexington,  which  is 
now  one  of   the  greatest  gold  and  silver  producers  in  the 


The  World's  Greatest  Mining   Town.  355 

camp,  being  purchased  by  the  late  millionaire,  A.  J. 
Davis,  for  a  twenty-dollar  horse  and  afterwards  sold  by 
him  to  a  French  company  for  $i, 000,000.  This  sale  is  a 
sample  of  many  others  made  in  those  days.  The  claims 
were  undeveloped,  and  no  one  then  knew  or  suspected  that 
only  a  few  feet  below  the  surface  large  and  rich  bodies  of 
gold,  silver  and  copper  ore  awaited  the  arrival  of  capital 
and  backbone  to  be  uncovered,  reduced  and  added  to  the 
world's  metal.  As  time  progressed  hundreds  of  claims 
that  cannot  now  be  purchased  for  millions  of  dollars  passed 
from  the  possession  of  the  original  locators  to  the  hands  of 
others,  because  of  the  yearly  assessment  work  not  being 
performed  thereon  by  the  former  owners.  This  is  the 
history  of  every  mining  camp  where  the  native  metal  does 
not  protrude  from  the  ores  as  an  incentive  for  the  pro- 
prietor to  hold  on,  do  his  assessment  work  and  sell  his 
property  for  what  it  is  worth.  During  the  last  fifteen 
years  mining  men  with  capital  to  back  them  have  bought 
up  many  of  these  properties  and  developed  them  to  an 
extent  that  their  value  is  now  estimated  in  the  millions  of 
dollars.  Smelters  for  the  treatment  of  base  ores,  found 
all  the  way  from  a  depth  of  from  100  to  1,000  feet  in  depth, 
have  been  erected,  while  mills  for  crushing  the  oxidized  or 
free-milling  ores,  found  from  the  surface  to  the  depth  of 
500  feet,  have  also  been  put  up. 

Down  a  Butte  Mine. — Mr.  Hall  first  conducted  us 
over  the  smelter  which  is  built  on  the  slope  of  the  moun- 
tain, writes  a  correspondent  of  the  St.  Paul  Pioneer  Press. 
At  the  top  are  great  heaps  of  ore  brought  from  below,  and 
others  of  rock  salt  dumped  there  by  the  railroad.  The 
latter  is  added,  ten  per  cent,  to  the  ore,  and  both  are 
ireled  into  great  hoppers  which  break  the  ore  into 
ill  chunks.     These  pass  down  into    the  "  dryer,"  which 


356  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

has  a  great  fire  at  the  end.  The  mass  then  goes  under 
the  "  stamps/'  which  weigh  1,000  pounds  each.  That's 
what  sixty-stamp  smelter  means,  for  instance,  that  it  has 
a  capacity  of  that  number  of  great  hammers.  These  crush 
the  ore  into  powder.  Fourth,  it  goes  lower  into  the  roast- 
ing cylinders,  where  the  heat  changes  the  sulphide  into 
chloride  by  means  of  the  afore-mentioned  salt.  Sulphur 
is  the  miner's  great  enemy,  you  know.  It  and  the  arsenic 
now  go  off  in  smoke.  Fifth,  this  black  flour-like  earth  is 
cooled  for  half  a  day,  and  then  it  is  mixed  with  300  pounds 
of  quicksilver  to  4,000  pounds  of  pulp  and  goes  to  the 
amalgamating  pans,  then  to  the  "  settlers,"  lastly  to  the 
"  retorts,"  furthest  down  the  mountain,  and  lastly  we  saw 
the  great  bars  of  bullion  ready  to  ship. 

All  this  was  very  interesting.  Machines  always  seem  to 
me  like  people.  Some  of  them  worked  with  an  intelligence 
of  their  own,  though  controlled  by  the  master  spirit  ; 
others,  like  the  stamps,  doggedly  worked  along  like  great 
stolid,  stupid  laborers  of  muscle,  not  even  rejoicing  in  their 
power;  but  the  propelling  engine,  gleaming,  intricate, 
nervous,  was  like  the  man  of  brain  whose  mind  impels  and 
compels  such  others.  We  went  into  the  changing  room 
where  miners'  clothes  hung  about  a  fire  to  dry,  and,  before 
descending  the  shaft,  went  into  the  great  engine  room 
where  sat  a  man,  his  eye  fixed  upon  an  indicator,  his  ear 
strained  to  going  signals,  the  mistaking  of  which  might  in 
an  instant  flick  out  the  life-flames  of  dozens  of  men.  He  it 
is  who  brings  up  and  lowers  "  the  cage  "  in  the  shaft,  "  He's 
a  cool  fellow,"  said  Mr.  Hall,  "  the  best  we've  ever  had. 
Men  simply  won't  run  this  machine.  The  terrible  and 
continued  responsibility  unmans  them.  We  have  put 
good,  tried  engineers  here,  and  after  half  an  hour  they 
would   have  to    be    removed.     They'd    be  drenched  with 


The.  MgDermott  Hotel 


BUTTE,,   MONTANA. 


STRICTLY   FIRST-CLASS. 


I^ooms  er?  suite,  witl?  Batty,  etG.     I^ates, 

$3.00 


PER  DAY,  AND  UPWARDS. 


A.  FRED  WEY,        Proprietor. 


Down  a  Butte  Mine.  357 

sweat  and  fairly  crying  under  the  strain/'  While  talking 
Mr.  Hall  had  fitted  me  out  for  my  trip  in  gossamer,  rub- 
bers, and  an  old  cap,  and  we  all  stepped  into  the  cage,  a 
sort  of  fenced-in  freight  elevator,  while  the  miners  gath- 
ered around  to  see  if  we  were  frightened.  To  balance  the 
weight  of  the  rods  and  shaft  are  four  u  bobs  "  containing 
fourteen  tons  of  scrap  iron. 

Going  down  a  mine  is  like  being  shot  from  a  catapult 
down  a  well.  One  hasn't  much  time  to  realize  what  the 
sensation  is.for  his  progress  is  1,000  feet  in  eighteen  seconds. 
My  remembrance  is  that  it  was  exciting,  cool,  black,  up- 
side down  and  exulting.  We  staggered  out  at  the  1,300- 
foot  level,  each  lighted  a  candle — some  of  the  mines  are 
lighted  by  electricity,  but  not  the  "Alice" — and  began  our 
subterranean  walk.  At  every  hundred  feet  long  passages 
lead  off  under  the  town.  These  galleries  are  roofed  in 
with  timbers  to  prevent  caving  in,  though  there's  no  such 
danger  with  this  granite  ore  as  there  is  in  coal  mines. 
These  passages  are  pitchy,  damp,  and  sometimes  cellary  to 
foulness,  though  usually  ventilated  from  a  great  shaft. 
There  are  twenty-eight  miles  of  them  in  the  "Alice."  We 
walked  about  four. 

Two  hundred  men  work  below  here;  only  a  short  time 
at'once,  though.  At  the  end  of  every  lead  you  will  see  two 
men,  their  candles  stuck  into  the  rock  only  intensifying 
their  weirdness  and  the  surrounding  darkness,  directing  a 
power  drill  which  is  worked  by  the  compressed-air  ma- 
chine above  the  mountain.  This  drill  makes  a  hideous 
noise  in  the  quiet  gallery.  When  it  has  bored  a  sufficient 
hole  a  charge  of  dynamite  is  put  into  it,  and  the  miners 
decamp.  Every  minute  or  so  we  could  hear  the  sullen 
roar  of  this  somewhere.  This  ore  is  afterward  loaded  into 
iron  carts,  and  run  over  tracks  to  the  shaft   and    elevated 


358  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

in  the  cages.  There  is  only  one  thing  of  beauty  in  a  mine, 
the  wonderfully  beautiful  fungus  growth  that  drapes  the 
galleries  everywhere,  in  some  places  so  that  one  must 
brush  an  entrance.  It  hangs  like  huge  powder-puffs  by  a 
tiny  thread,  and  feels  like  damp  swansdown.  I  have  never 
before  seen  anything  so  dazzling  white.  It  is  like  the 
description  of  an  angel's  raiment,  shining  and  white.  It 
is  like  the  purer  and  unselfish  deed  of  a  criminal,  but  as 
evanescent,  for  it  shrivels  into  an  odious,  malodorous, 
yellowish  leathery  mass  as  soon  as  it  comes  into  the  day- 
light above. 

I  enjoyed  the  experience,  but  was  glad  to  come  up  into 
the  sun  and  bustle  of  the  over-world,  and  while  bathing 
my  face  in  distilled  water,  like  the  princess  of  Wales  in-so- 
far,  to  hear  Mr.  Hall  tell  about  their  "Alice  hospital  and 
reading  room"  for  miners,  of  which  association  he  is  pres- 
ident, the  fire  brigade,  and  the  great  smelters  at  Ana- 
conda. 

Silver  Bow  (7  miles  from  Butte)  is  the  junction  point 
of  the  Montana  Union  with  the  Utah  Northern  branch  of 
the  Union  Pacific  which  runs  south  to  Ogden,  Utah,  and 
has  a  population  of  about  100,  chiefly  engaged  in  railroad 
work. 

Anaconda  (population,  2,000  ;  26  miles  from  Butte  on 
a  short  spur  leaving  the  road  at  Stuart). — The  town  is 
picturesquely  situated  at  the  head  of  a  small  mountain 
valley  in  the  midst  of  magnificent  scenery.  It  is  well 
built,  having  a  number  of  brick  blocks.  The  great 
smelting  and  reduction  works  of  the  Anaconda  company 
are  the  life  of  the  place.  These  works  were  established  at 
this  point  on  account  of  convenience  for  procuring  fuel, 
the  slight  expense  for  which  ores  could  be  run  down  grade 
from  the  mines  in  Butte,  the  abundance  of  pure  water,  and 


Deer  Lodge   Valley.  359 

the  excellent  location  for  a  town.  The  annual  output  of 
copper  matte  is  greater  than  at  any  other  point  in  the 
world.  Two  groups  of  enormous  structures  about  two 
miles  apart  constitute  the  works  that  employ  about  300 
men.  The  fluel  used  is  coke,  coal  and  pine  wood,  the 
wood  being  brought  from  the  mountain  gulches  down  a 
long  flume  into  which  a  stream  has  been  diverted,  the 
flowing  water  performing  the  work  of  transporting  the 
sticks  of  wood. 

Warm  Springs  is  principally  important  as  the  site  of 
the  Montana  Insane  asylum,  which  occupies  a  number  of 
buildings  surrounding  the  copious  spring  of  warm  sulphur 
water.  The  mineral  water  is  used  beneficially  in  the 
treatment  of  insane  patients.  The  valley  narrows  in  a 
short  distance  above  Warm  Springs.  The  debris  of  old 
placer  mining  can  be  seen  at  many  places  along  the  river. 

Deer  Lodge  (1,272  miles  from  St.  Paul  and  forty  miles 
from  Butte;  population  1,500)  derived  its  name  from  the 
abundance  of  deer  that  roamed  over  its  broad  open  prairie, 
and  from  a  mound  which,  on  a  winter's  morning,  bore  a 
resemblance  to  an  Indian  lodge  when  the  steam  issued 
from  the  hot  spring  on  its  summit.  Deer  Lodge  is  the 
seat  of  Deer  Lodge  county,  and  appears  quite  attractive, 
nestled  midway  in  the  valley,  4,546  feet  above  the  sea. 
The  town  is  well  laid  out,  and,  with  its  public  square, 
large  public  buildings,  court  house,  jail,  churches  and 
educational  establishments,  makes  a  good  impression. 
There  is  a  Presbyterian  college  of  Montana  for  both  sexes 
located  here.  There  is  also  a  Catholic  school  for  the 
education  of  girls,  conducted  by  the  Sisters  of  Charity;  and 
a  hospital,  under  the  charge  of  the  same  sisterhood.  The 
Montana  penitentiary,  located  at  Deer  Lodge,  is  con- 
structed with  two  wings,  containing  eighty-four  cells. 


360 


The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 


The  town  is  a  general  supply  and  distributing  point  for 
several  fertile  valleys  and  the  surrounding  mining  dis- 
tricts. Deer  Lodge  valley  extends  fifty  miles  southward, 
and  is  composed  of  farming  and  grazing  lands.  The 
latter  rest  on  the  foot-hills  and  mountains,  while  the 
former  are  lower  down,  adjacent  to  the  mouths  of  the 
streams.  There  are  remarkable  boiling  springs  in  the 
valley.  Many  bright  mountain  trout  streams  course 
through  its  broad  expanse,  some  having  their  sources 
eastward  in  the  Gold  Creek  mountains,  and  others  com- 
ing from  the  west  through  the  low,  rolling,  open  country 
between  the  Deer  Lodge  and  Flint  Creek  valleys.  Deer 
Lodge  county  is  noted  for  the  number,  extent  and  richness 
of  its  placer  mines,  and  for  years  it  has  led  the  production 
in  placer  gold.  Among  the  surrounding  mountains, 
Powell's  Peak,  twenty  miles  west  of  Deer  Lodge  City, 
and  10,000  feet  in  height,  is  prominent.  There  are  many 
small  lakes  in  the  mountains,  which  are  full  of  trout,  and 
large  game  also  abounds. 


HELENA  &  JEFFERSON  COUNTY,  AND 

HELENA,  BOULDER  VALLEY  & 

BUTTE  RAILROADS. 


From  Helena  to    Elkhorn,    Mont.,    58    Miles,    with    a 
Branch  from  Jefferson  to  Wickes,  5  Miles. 


This  branch  leaves  the  main  line  at  Prickly  Pear  Junc- 
tion, five  miles  south  of  Helena,  and  extends  twenty  miles 
in  a  western  direction,  along  the  valley  of  the  Prickly  Pear 
creek,  up  into  the  heart  of  the  Rocky  mountains.  It  crosses 
a  mountain  spur  by  a  high-grade  line,  showing  some  very 
bold  and  successful  engineering  work.  It  then  descends 
into  the  Boulder  valley  to  the  town  of 

Boulder  (37  miles  from  Helena),  the  county  seat  of 
Jefferson  county,  which  has  a  population  of  about  1,200. 
It  is  situated  in  a  fine  agricultural  valley  and  is  the  central 
trading  town  for  a  number  of  productive  silver  mines. 
Four  miles  distant  are  the  Boulder  Hot  Springs,  where 
there  is  a  good  hotel  and  a  bathing  establishment,  with  a 
large  plunge  bath.  Good  accommodations  for  tourists  and 
invalids.  The  waters  are  much  used  in  cases  of  rheu- 
matism. 

Elkhorn  (58  miles  from  Helena;  population,  500). — 
The  road  leaves  the  valley  of  the  Boulder  and  climbs  a 
mountain  by  a  three  per  cent  grade  to  the  mining  camp  of 
Klkhorn,  where  there  is  ore  of  the  richest  and  most  sue* 
cessful*quartz  mines  in  Montana. 


362 


The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 


Wickes  (25  miles  from  Helena,  population,  800). — At 
Jefferson  a  branch  diverges  and  keeps  on  up  Prickly  Pear 
creek,  five  miles  to  the  smelting  town  of  Wickes,  where 
ores  are  roasted,  chloridized  and  converted  into  ingots. 
The  ingots  are  shipped  to  separating  works  in  Baltimore, 
Md.,  where  the  gold  and  silver  are  separated  from  such 
lead  and  copper  as  they  may  be  combined  with. 


HELENA  &  RED  MOUNTAIN  AND  HEL- 
ENA &  NORTHERN  RAILROADS. 


Helena  to  Rimini,  Mont.,  17  Miles. 


This  branch  of  the  Northern  Pacific  system  is  a  mining 
road,  which  leaves  the  main  line  at  Helena,  and  terminates 
at  Rimini,  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  main  divide  of  the 
Rocky  mountains.  Rimini  is  acentral  transportation  point 
for  the  ores  of  the  important  group  of  mines. 

Helena  to  Marysville,  Mont.,  20  Miles. 

This  line  runs  in  a  northerly  direction  from  Helena  at 
the  base  of  the  Rocky  mountains,  and  ascends  to  the  min- 
ing village  of  Marysville,  population  1,100.  There  are 
many  important  mines  near  Marysville,  the  most  produc- 
tive of  which  is  the  famous  Drum  Lummon,  which  in  1887 
yielded  over  $2,000,000  of  gold  and  silver. 


DRUMMOND   &    PHILIPSBURG    RAIL- 
ROAD. 


Drummond  to  Rumsey,  Mont. — 31.4  Miles. 


This  branch  of  the  Northern  Pacific  system  was  con- 
structed in  1887  to  afford  an  outlet  for  the  productive 
mining  district  of  Philipsburg  and  Granite  mountain.  It 
follows  the  valley  of  Flint  creek  to  Philipsburg,  and  then 
by  higher  grades  reaches  the  terminal  station  of  Rumsey, 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  Granite  Mountain  and 
other  mines. 

Philipsburg  (25  miles  from  Drummond  ;  population, 
1,000)  is  one  of  the  oldest  mining  towns  in  Montana.  The 
first  silver  mill  in  Montana  was  established  at  this  place  in 
1866.  The  mill  and  mine  are  still  owned  by  the  original 
company,  called  "  The  Hope  Silver  Mining  Company," 
and  is  still  in  successful  operation.  Beside  the  trade  of 
the  surrounding  mines  there  is  considerable  ranch  country 
tributary  to  the  town. 

Granite  Mountain  (population,  500 ;  near  Rumsey 
station,  31  miles  from  Drummond). — This  is  a  mining  vil- 
lage created  by  the  prosperous  activity  of  the  great 
Granite  Mountain  mine,  and  of  several  other  mines  in  the 
immediate  vicinity.  It  is  reached  by  a  good  but  steep  road 
from  Philipsburg  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  and  is  a 
unique  little  town,  built  among  the  huge  granite  boulders 
and    rocks    on    the    mountain   side,  partly    hiding   in    the 

364 


The  Granite  Mountain  Mine,  365 

crevices,  partly  clinging  to  the  precipitous  wall  where 
there  is  only  room  for  one  side  of  a  street.  Most  of  the 
inhabitants  work  under  ground  in  the  mines,  or  in  the 
huge  silver  mill  near  by.  The  scenery  is  superb.  The 
savage  peaks  of  the  main  divide  of  the  Rocky  mountains 
with  their  snowy  summits  look  almost  as  grand  as  the 
famous  Swiss  Alps,  and  the  bright  green  valleys  below 
make  a  pleasing  contrast  with  the  rugged  slopes  of  the 
mountains.  The  Granite  Mountain  mine  is  the  most  valu- 
able silver  mine  in  the  world.  It  was  discovered  in  1872, 
but  was  first  profitably  developed  in  1883.  It  has  since 
paid  to  its  stockholders  over  $3,500,000  in  dividends.  The 
ore  is  base,  containing  silver,  antimony,  arsenic,  zinc,  and 
copper  as  sulphides,  and  native  silver  in  considerable 
quantity.  The  average  assay  value  of  the  ore  is  145 
ounces  of  silver  to  the  ton. 


BITTER    ROOT   VALLEY    RAILROAD. 


Missoula  to  Grantsdale,  Mont.,  50  Miles. 


This  branch  was  built  in  1887,  from  Missoula,  on  the 
Northern  Pacific  main  line,  up  the  picturesque  and  fertile 
valley  of  the  Bitter  Root  river,  as  far  as  the  new  town  of 
Grantsdale,  36  miles.  The  Bitter  Root  is  in  some  respects 
the  best  agricultural  valley  in  Montana.  It  is  lower  by  nearly 
1,000  feet  than  the  valleys  near  Helena,  and  has  a  much 
warmer  climate.  Apples  and  small  fruits  are  successfully 
grown.  There  are  some  valuable  mining  properties  in  the 
mountain  range  on  the  western  side  of  the  valley.  The 
streams  abound  in  trout,  and  the  mountains  in  large  game, 
such  as  Rocky  mountain  goats,  elk  and  bear. 

Tyler  (28  miles  from  Missoula)  is  the  station  for 
Stevensville  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  a  prosperous 
agricultural  town,  with  a  population  of  300.  Close  to  the 
town  is  the  St.  Mary's  Mission,  the  oldest  of  the  Jesuit 
missions  in  Montana.  It  was  established  by  Italian  priests 
nearly  twenty  years  before  there  were  any  white  settlers 
in  the  region.  The  old  church,  mill,  and  mission  house 
are  still  standing. 

Victor  (36  miles  from  Missoula)  is  anew  town  created 
by  the  railroad,  and  has  a  population  of  500.  Silver  mines 
and  a  fine  agricultural  country  promise  to  make  of  it  an 
important  place. 

Grantsdale   (50    miles    from  Missoula)  is  a  new  town, 

366 


The  Bitter  Root  Valley. 


367 


surrounded  by  a  very  attractive  country  of  irrigated  farms 
and  stock  ranges.  Numerous  mineral  locations  have  been 
made  on  the  slopes  of  the  neighboring  mountains,  which 
promise  an  important  mining  development.  This  is  a  fine 
region  for  hunting  and  fishing.  The  mountain  streams 
abound  in  trout,  and  mountain  goat,  mountain  sheep,  elk 
and  bear  may  be  shot  on  the  Bitter  Root  range,  which 
bounds  the  valley  on  the  west. 


DeSMET  AND  CCEUR  D'ALENE  BRANCH. 


From  Missoula,  Mont.,  to  Mission,  Idaho,  159  Miles,  Con- 
necting at  Mission  with  Steamers  for  Cg:ur 
D'Alene  City,  From  Whence  There  is 
Rail  Connection  for  Spokane. 


The  trains  on  this  road  start  from  Missoula  and  keep 
on  the  main  line  six  miles  to  DeSmet.  There  they  diverge 
and  run  down  the  irrigated  agricultural  valley  to  the  Mis- 
soula, past  the  old  settlement  of  Frenchtown,  a  French 
Catholic  community.  After  crossing  the  river  the  farming 
valley  soon  changes  to  a  narrow  mountain  gorge,  through 
which  the  road  runs  on  benches  high  above  the  dark  green 
waters  of  the  stream.  A  number  of  mining  camps  are 
seen  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  stream.  At  St.  Regis 
the  road  turns  up  the  narrow  valley  of  the  St.  Regis  de 
Borgia  creek,  following  the  route  of  the  old  Mullan  wagon 
road,  which  was  built  by  the  army  in  1861  and  1862,  from 
Fort  Benton  to  Walla  Walla,  to  serve  as  a  military  route 
and  to  open  the  way  for  emigrants  to  reach  Oregon.  The 
Bitter  Root  mountains  are  climbed  on  grades  too  steep 
for  the  hauling  of  more  than  six  loaded  cars  in  one  train, 
and  the  line  descends  into  the  valley  of  the  South  Fork  of 
the  Cceur  d'Alene  river,  the  great  silver-mining  district  of 
Northern  Idaho. 

Mullan  (128  miles  from  Missoula  and  118    miles    from 


J n  the  Cour  D% Alene  Country.  369 

Spokane,  population  500)  is  the  town  for  the  Hunter  group 
of  mines,  of  which  the  Morning  mine  is  the  best  developed. 
The  town  has  water  works  and  electric  lights. 

Wallace  (134  miles  from  Missoula  and  112  miles  from 
Spokane)  is  the  busiest  center  of  a  number  of  mining 
gulches,  and  the  point  of  division  of  the  branch  road  which 
runs  up  a  narrow  valley  to  Burke,  eight  miles  distant.  It 
is  a  compactly  built  town  with  water  works  and  electric 
lights.  Stages  run  across  two  mountain  ranges  to  Mur- 
ray, the  center  of  the  gold  placer  district  of  Pritchard 
creek. 

Murray  is  an  active  business  town  of  1,000  inhabitants, 
surrounded  by  huge  gravel  piles  from  the  placer  diggings. 
ItMs  built  on  gold,  literally  as  well  as  figuratively,  for  not 
only  does  it  depend  solely  on  the  gold  mining  for  existence, 
but  the  whole  gulch  where  its  buildings  stand  is  valuable 
placer  ground.  Besides  the  placer  diggings  where  the 
earth  and  gravel  is  washed  in  sluices  to  separate  the  nug- 
gets and  gold  dust,  there  are  three  quartz  mills  for  crush- 
ing and  pulverizing  the  gold-bearing  quartz.  Murray  is 
the  county  seat  of  Kootenai  county.  Placer  gold  was  dis- 
covered in  1883  on  Pritchard  creek,  a  tributary  of  the 
ir  d'Alene  river.  Early  in  1884,  there  was  a  remarkable 
movement  of  miners,  tradesmen  and  adventurers,  to  this 
hitherto  wilderness  region.  What  is  called  in  mining 
camps  a  "stampede"  took  place.  From  two  to  three  thou- 
sand people  made  their  way  through  the  depths  of  theforest 
during  February  and  March  to  the  valley  of  the  Cceur 
d'Alene  and  ils  tributaries,  dragging  their  supplies  with 
them  Oil  toboggan  sleds.  A  number  of  camps  were 
speedily  established;  and  the  development  of  the  region 
in;  but,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  gold  was  found  in 
soil  from  six  to  twelve  feet  deep,  with  gravel  and  boulders, 


370  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

the  development  was  slow.  Many  of  the  first  comers  were 
forced  to  leave  for  want  of  means  to  open  claims.  The 
district  has,  however,  made  steady  progress,  and  now 
yields  a  large  and  constantly  increasing  amount  of  gold. 

Wardner  is  an  important  mining  town  of  1,000  inhabi- 
tants, situated  in  a  narrow  gulch  shut  in  by  high  moun- 
tains, four  miles  from  Wardner  Junction,  on  the  railroad, 
and  149  miles  from  Missoula.  On  the  slopes  of  these 
mountains  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  town  are 
several  important  silver  mines.  The  most  productive  of 
these  are  the  Sullivan  and  Bunker  Hill.  The  ores  from 
these  mines  are  concentrated  before  shipment  to  Montana 
and  Eastern  reduction  works.  The  town  is  picturesquely 
built  in  a  narrow  gulch,  where  there  is  only  room  for  one 
street. 

Mission  (159  miles  from  Missoula,  and  ninety-seven  from 
Spokane)  is  the  point  of  transfer  from  the  trains  to  steam- 
boats, which  run  down  the  river  and  lake  sixty  miles  to 
Cceur  d'Alene  City.  The  old  Jesuit  church  at  the  Mission, 
built  in  1847,  is  an  interesting  building  to  visit. 

The  trip  by  steamer  on  Lake  Cceur  d'Alene  and  the 
river  is  hardly  equaled  for  beauty  and  natural  scenery  by 
any  water  journey  of  equal  length  in  the  United  States, 
unless  it  be  on  the  Hudson  river, 

Cceur  d'Alene  City  (219  miles  from  Missoula  and  32 
miles  from  Spokane;  population  500)  is  beautifully 
located  in  the  pine  forests  at  the  foot  of  the  lake  of  the 
same  name,  and  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Fort  Sherman, 
one  of  the  most  attractive  military  posts  in  the  United 
States.  Lake  Cceur  d'Alene  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
mountain  lakes  to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  world.  It  is 
surrounded  by  the  spurs  and  foot-hills  of  the  Bitter  Root 
and  Cceur  d'Alene  mountains,  and  its  shores  are  covered 


///  the  CourD'Alene  Country. 


371 


with  open  and  park-like  forests.  Its  length  is  about  thirty 
miles,  and  it  receives  two  navigable  streams,  the  St.  Joseph 
river  and  the  Cceur  d'Alene  river. 

From  Cceur  d'Alene  to  Spokane  is  a  run  of  a  little  over 
an  hour,  the  main  line  being  reached  at  Hauser  Junction, 
The  only  town  on  the  way  is  Post  Falls,  on  the  Spokane 
river,  a  lumber  manufacturing  place  of  about  500  inhabi- 
tants, with  an  excellent  water-power. 


SPOKANE    &   PALOUSE    RAILROAD. 


From  Spokane,  Wash.,  to  Juliaetta,  Idaho,  121  Miles, 

with  a  Branch  From  Pullman  to 

Genesee,  29  Miles. 


The  traveler  who  desires  to  form  anything  like  an  ade- 
quate conception  of  the  agricultural  wealth  of  the  State  of 
Washington,  should  not  fail  to  leave  the  main  line  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  at  Spokane  and  make  a  journey 
over  this  branch  through  the  wonderfully  fertile  Palouse 
country,  which  stretches  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  in  a 
belt  about  fifty  miles  wide,  as  far  south  as  the  Snake 
river.  From  the  deep  canyon  of  the  Snake,  a  region  of  like 
fertility  and  general  characteristics,  generally  known  as 
the  Walla  Walla  country,  extends  over  100  miles  further, 
following  the  trend  of  the  Bitter  Root  and  Blue  Mountain 
ranges.  The  Palouse  country  is  upheaved  ingeatle  grassy 
hills  with  rounded  tops,  and  every  acre  is  highly  fertile,  the 
summits  of  the  hills  being  fully  as  valuable  for  grain  fields 
as  the  slopes  4n  the  valleys  which  lie  between.  Wheat 
yields  from  twenty-five  to  fifty  bushels  to  the  acre,  and  oats, 
barley  and  rye  do  proportionately  well.  The  whole  country 
in  its  natural  state  is  covered  with  a  luxuriant  growth  of 
bunch  grass,  on  which  cattle  and  horses  pasture  the  year 
round.  The  winters  are  mild  and  the  snowfall  light.  The 
Spokane  Falls  and  Palouse  branch  diverges  from  the  main 

372 


The  Palouse  Country,  373 

line  at  Marshall  Junction,  a  small  town  9  miles  from 
Spokane. 

Spangle  (20  miles  from  Spokane)  is  an  active  trading 
point  with  a  population  of  about  500. 

Oakesdale  (46  miles  from  Spokane  ;  population,  [,200) 
is  the  crossing  point  of  the  Union  Pacific  line  from  Spo- 
kane to  Portland. 

From  Belmont,  51  miles  from  Spokane,  a  short  branch 
road  runs  to  Farmington,  an  agricultural  village  with  400 
inhabitants,  near  the  Idaho  line. 

Garfield  (58  miles  from  Spokane  ;  population,  700) 
is  the  point  where  the  Spokane  and  Palouse  crosses  the 
Farmington  branch  of  the  Union  Pacific. 

Palouse  City  (68  miles  from  Spokane  Falls)  is  the 
oldest  town  in  the  Palouse  country,  and  has  a  population 
of  1,500.  Logs  are  floated  down  the  Palouse  river  to  this 
place  from  the  slopes  of  the  neighboring  mountains. 
Considerable  placer  gold  is  mined  on  the  waters  of  the 
Palouse.  The  country  around  Palouse  City  is  exceedingly 
fertile  and  picturesque. 

Pullman  (84  miles  from  Spokane  ;  population,  1,500) 
is  the  point  where  the  Spokane  &  Palouse  road  crosses 
the  Moscow  branch  of  the  Union  Pacific,  and  is  a  well- 
built  town,  central  to  an  extensive  region  of  excellent 
farming  country.  The  Washington  Agricultural  college 
is  located  here.  Artesian  wells  supply  the  town  with  water. 
Moscow,  Idaho  (population,  3,500,  94  miles  from  Spo- 
kane) is  a  handsome  town  situated  in  a  rolling  prairie 
in  try  and  surrounded  by  well  improved  farms.  It  is 
the  trade  center  of  a  lar^e  part  of  the  rich  grain-growing 
country  of  Northern  Idaho.  The  State  Agricultural  college 
occupies  a  commanding  brick  structure.  There  are  excel- 
lent hotels  and  large  department  mercantile  stores.   Opals 


374  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

are  mined  at  a  point  six  miles  north  of  the  town,  being 
found  in  the  basaltic  rock,  which  everywhere  underlies  the 
region. 

East  of  Moscow  the  road  strikes  one  of  the  tributaries 
of  the  Potlatch  river  and  descends  rapidly  through  forest- 
clad  ravines  to  the  deep,  narrow  valley  of  that  stream. 
Kendrick  and  Juliaetta  are  the  two  towns  of  the  Potlatch 
country,  and  each  have  a  population  of  about  500.  At 
Juliaetta  there  is  an  inclined  plane  railroad  running  from 
the  valley  near  the  town  up  a  steep  ascent  to  the  level  of 
the  plateau,  and  used  for  getting  wheat  down  and  mer- 
chandise up. 

The  Potlatch  Country  is  a  high  plain,  deeply  seamed 
by  a  number  of  gorges  through  which  flow  swift  streams. 
The  divisions  made  by  these  gorges  are  called  ridges,  and 
each  has  its  local  name.  On  the  plateau  the  land  is  very 
rich  and  produces  heavy  crops  of  grain.  Fruit  thrives, 
and  there  is  no  better  country  for  apples,  prunes,  plums, 
pears  and  berries  west  of  the  Rockies.  The  region  is 
heavily  grassed  and  is  excellent  for  stock.  Its  climate  is 
even  milder  than  that  of  the  neighboring  Palouse  country, 
a  mountain  spur  shielding  it  from  north  winds. 

The  Genesee  Country. — South  of  Pullman  lies  the 
Genesee  country,  which  is  an  extension  of  the  Palouse 
plains  and  reaches  southward  to  the  great  canyon  of  the 
Snake  river.  The  chief  towns  are  Uniontown,  Colton  and 
Genesee,  each  a  thriving  center  of  farming  trade,  with  a 
population  of  about  500.  The  farming  country  is  every- 
where attractive  and  raises  great  crops  of  wheat,  oats  and 
flax.     Most  of  the  farms  have  flourishing  orchards. 

Lewiston,  Idaho  (about  15  miles  from  Genesee)  is  an 
old  and  prosperous  town,  situated  at  the  junction  of  the 
Snake   and    Clearwater  rivers.     The  Spokane  &  Palouse 


The  Palouse  Country. 


375 


road  will  eventually  be  extended  to  this  place,  following 
the  Potlatch  and  Clearwater  rivers  down  from  Juliaetta. 
Lewiston  has  a  population  of  1,500,  and  has  a  large  trade 
with  the  surrounding  farming  country,  and  with  the  mining 
districts  of  Northern  Idaho.  Steamboats  run  up  the  Snake 
river,  and  also,  at  high  water,  on  the  Clearwater  river. 

The  drive  from  either  Uniontown  or  Genesee  to  Lewis- 
ton  is  one  of  the  most  strikingly  picturesque  that  can  be 
found  in  the  whole  range  of  western  travel,  and  tourists 
are  strongly  advised  not  to  omit  it.  The  road  passes  over 
a  beautiful  rolling  and  fertile  country  for  the  first  five  or 
six  miles,  and  then  comes  suddenly  out  on  the  brink  of  an 
enormous  and  precipitous  declivity  overlooking  the  valleys 
of  the  Snake  and  Clearwater  rivers,  and  a  vast  extent  of 
hilly  country  stretching  off  to  Craig's  mountain  on  the 
south  and  Blue  mountains  on  the  southeast.  Lewiston 
seems  to  be  within  rifle-shot  distance  at  the  foot  of 
the  precipice,  but  is  only  reached  by  a  zig-zag  drive  of 
over  five  miles  down  the  mountain  side.  The  valley  in 
which  Lewiston  is  situated  is  fully  half  a  mile  in  vertical 
distance  below  the  general  level  of  the  rolling  plains 
country  north  of  it. 


, — _ 


, — 


SOUTH  OF   SNAKE  RIVER. 


An  extensive,  fertile  and  beautiful  agricultural  country 
lies  south  of  the  Snake  river  in  Washington  and  laps  over 
on  the  west  into  Oregon.  It  extends  from  the  Snake  and 
the  Clearwater  southward  to  the  Blue  mountains,  and  has 
an  average  width  of  about  fifty  miles.  Its  length  from  the 
bend  of  the  Snake  river  at  Lewiston  to  its  western  limits 
is  about  150  miles.  It  is  one  of  the  most  productive 
grain-growing  regions  in  the  world.  The  average  yield  of 
wheat,  taking  one  year  with  another,  is  about  thirty 
bushels  to  the  acre,  and  crops  of  forty  to  fifty  bushels  to 
the  acre  are  by  no  means  extraordinary.  The  region  is 
rolling  or  hilly,  and  slopes  southward  up  to  the  forest  line 
on  the  Blue  mountains.  It  is  penetrated  by  the  lines  of 
the  Washington  &  Columbia  River  railroad,  which  con- 
nects with  the  Northern  Pacific  at  Pasco,  and  also  by  lines 
of  the  Union  Pacific  system.  The  aspect  of  the  country 
improves  gradually  as  the  distance  from  the  river  in- 
creases, and  before  reaching  Walla  Walla  the  country  has 
become  very  fertile.  The  Walla  Walla  river  is  a  small 
stream  that  pours  into  the  Columbia — merely  a  channel 
cut  through  sand  and  sage  brush,  although  further  up 
there  is  an  occasional  fringe  of  willows. 

Whitman  (5  miles  from  Walla  Walla),  is  merely  a  side 
track.  It,  however,  marks  the  scene  of  a  deplorable  tragedy. 
In  1836  Dr.  Marcus  Whitman,  a  physician,  who  was  also  a 
clergyman,  was  sent  out  from  the  East  as  a  missionary  to 
the  Cayuse  and  Umatilla  Indians.     Even  at  that  early  day 

376 


South  of  Snake  River.  377 

Christian  sympathy  was  drawn  toward  the  aboriginal 
tribes  of  the  upper  Columbia,  and  to  this  instrumentality 
the  preservation  of  the  Northern  Pacific  country  to  the 
United  States  is  mainly  due.  Dr.  Whitman  established 
his  mission  at  Wai-lat-pu,  now  Whitman's  station,  where 
he  faithfully  labored  among  the  red  men.  In  1847  he  was 
making  a  professional^  visit  to  the  Hudson  Bay  post  at 
Wallula,  from  which  his  station  was  twenty-five  miles 
inland,  on  the  Walla  Walla  river,  combining,  in  accordance 
with  his  usual  custom,  the  practice  of  medicine  with  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel.  When  at  Wallula,  Whitman  saw 
the  arrival  of  a  Roman  Catholic  priest  and  his  party,  and 
heard  the  boast  made  that  Oregon  was  certain  to  belong 
to  the  British,  as  Gov.  Simpson,  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  com- 
pany, was  in  Washington  making  negotiations  to  that  end. 
This  news  weighed  so  heavily  on  the  missionary's  mind 
that,  though  late  in  the  autumn,  he  prepared  for  and 
undertook  a  midwinter  journey  across  the  continent,  made 
representations  to  the  Government  as  to  the  true  value  of 
the  country,  piloted  the  first  wagon  train  through  to  the 
Columbia  river  the  following  spring,  and  so  was  greatly 
instrumental  in  preventing  British  ascendency  in  the 
Pacific  Northwest.  The  year  after  Dr.  Whitman  returned 
to  his  mission,  he,  his  wife  and  others  were  massacred. 
It  seems  that  the  measles  broke  out  among  the  Indians 
with  great  fatality.  The  medicine  men  of  the  tribes 
charged  Whitman  with  causing  the  disease,  and  one  night 
the  cruel  savages  murdered  their  benefactor  with  all  his 
companions.  The  massacre  occurred  at  the  north  end  of 
the  ridge,  west  of  the  railroad.  There  the  victims  were 
buried,  and  efforts  are  now  making  to  raise  a  monument 
"to  the  memory  of  Dr,  Marcus  Whitman  and  his  associate 
dead."     This  tragedy  led  to  the  Cayuse  war  of  1848. 


378  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

Walla  Walla  (56  miles  from  Pasco)  is  beautifully 
situated  upon  an  open  plain  that  i-s  watered  by  the  divided 
flow  of  the  Walla  Walla  river.  Beyond  it  the  Blue 
mountains  stand  like  a  wall,  and  among  the  foot-hills  is 
the  richest  agricultural  district  known.  The  city  has  6,coo 
inhabitants  and  a  handsome  business  street,  with  substan- 
tial blocks  of  stores, — some  very  fine  ones.  Though  no 
forest  trees  are  native  to  the  plain,  the  streets  are  lined 
with  shade  trees,  usually  poplar,  and  the  gardens  are  filled 
with  orchards  and  vineyards.  The  private  residences  are 
often  beautiful.  Near  town  is  the  military  station  of  Fort 
Walla  Walla,  and  the  presence  of  troops  adds  something 
to  the  business  as  well  as  to  the  attractions  of  the  city. 

Walla  Walla  has  ten  churches,  a  public  library,  a 
remarkably  handsome  court-house,  which  is  one  of  the 
finest  public  buildings  in  Washington;  two  opera  houses 
and  a  city  hall  ;  St.  Mary's  Hospital,  conducted  by  the 
Catholic  order  of  the  Sisters  of  Mercy.  Whitman  College 
is  an  institution  for  the  higher  education  of  both  sexes, 
having  complete  classical  and  scientific  courses.  St.  Paul's 
School  for  girls  is  an  institution  for  boarding  and  day 
scholars.  The  Catholics  have  two  schools.  St.  Vincent's 
Academy  for  girls  occupies  a  large  brick  building  in  the 
midst  of  pleasant  groves,  and  St.  Patrick's  School  is  a  day 
school  for  boys. 

The  agricultural  country  tributary  to  Walla  Walla  along 
the  slopes  of  the  Blue  mountains  and  the  adjacent  plains 
is  of  remarkable  fertility,  the  soil  being  adapted  in  an 
especial  degree  to  the  production  of  wheat,  and  a  yield  of 
forty  bushels  to  the  acre  is  not  at  all  unusual.  This  is 
also  a  fruit  country,  the  apple,  pear,  plum  and  cherry, 
grapes  and  all  the  berries  being  raised  in  profusion  and 
perfection.  Fifteen  miles  beyond  Walla_Walla  the  railroad 


South  of  Snake  River.  379 

comes  down  from  the  hills  into  the  valley  of  the  Touchet 
river,  and  follows  up  that  stream  to  Palouse  Junction, 
whence  the  main  line  runs  northward  to  Riparia,  on  the 
Snake  river,  and  a  branch  continues  up  the  Touchet,  thir- 
teen miles  further,  to  Dayton.  Prescott  (51  miles  from 
Wallula  Junction,  and  20  miles  from  Walla  Walla)  is  a  small 
town  with  a  flouring  mill.  Bolles' Junction  (56  miles  from 
Wallula)  is  an  unimportant  station.  The  principal  towns 
south  of  Snake  river  beside  Walla  Walla  are  the  following: 

Waitsburg-  (80  miles  from  Pasco;  population  900.) — 
This  is  the  oldest  town  in  the  Touchet  valley,  and  was 
settled  in  1870.  It  is  a  place  of  considerable  business  im- 
portance, as  a  milling  and  wheat-shipping  point,  and  a 
country  trade  centre. 

Dayton  (90  miles  from  Pasco;  population,  3,000)  is, 
next  to  Walla  Walla,  the  oldest  town  in  Washington  south 
of  Snake  river.  It  stands  at  the  junction  of  the  Touchet 
river  and  Petit  creek,  in  the  midst  of  a  beautiful  and  ex- 
ceedingly fertile  and  agricultural  country.  The  Touchet 
furnishes  good  waterpower,  which  is  utilized  for  several 
sawmills  and  factories.  It  is  the  county  seat  of  Columbia 
county,  and  was  named  in  honor  of  Jesse  Day,  the  pioneer 
settler.  The  surrounding  country  is  upheaved  into  high 
hills  with  rounded  tops;  the  summits  and  slopes  of  these 
hills  are  as  fertile  as  the  bottom  lands  in  the  narrow  val- 
leys between  them;  in  fact,  the  farmers  prefer  the  hill  tops 
for  wheat  fields. 

Pomeroy,  county  seat  of  Garfield  county,  has  a  popu- 
lation of  1,500,  and  is  the  market  town  for  a  large  and  pro- 
ductive farming  country.  It  is  the  terminus  of  a  branch 
railroad . 

Athena,  Oregon,  has  a  population  of  650,  and  is  an 
important  wheat-shipping  town. 


380  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

Pendleton,  Oregon  (43  miles  from  Pasco)  is  situated 
near  the  base  of  the  Blue  mountains  on  the  Umatilla  river, 
and  is  the  county  seat  of  Umatilla  county.  It  is  a  large, 
active,  commercial  town,  with  a  population  of  4,000.  Its 
shipments  are  wheat,  stock,  wrool,  barley,  rye,  oats,  fruits, 
etc.  The  country  surrounding  the  town  resembles  in  its 
appearance  and  general  character  that  around  Walla 
Walla,  and  is  finely  adapted  to   farming  and  stock  raising. 

Snake  River  flows  deep  down  in  an  immense  Canyon, 
whose  cliffs  are  a  thousand  feet  or  more  in  height.  Gener- 
ally, the  points  are  rock-ribbed  ;  for  the  strata  show  on 
every  bluff.  To  ascend  these  cliffs  is  impossible,  except 
some  ravine  is  followed  to  its  source,  or  a  roadway  is 
graded  carefully  winding  up  the  face  of  the  acclivities. 
The  shipment  of  grain  would  be  attended  with  difficulty  if 
the  farmer  had  to  haul  his  load  down  such  tremendous 
hills,  and  spend  hours  returning  to  the  plain  above  with 
his  empty  wagon.  The  evil  is  remedied  by  the  construc- 
tion of  shutes  leading  for  thousands  of  feet  from  the  sum- 
mit, down  which  the  grain  is  poured  to  the  warehouse  on 
the  river.  There  is  communication  between  the  various 
shipping  points  by  means  of  a  telephone,  and  the  business 
is  transacted  with  dispatch.  The  farmer  simply  delivers 
his  wheat  on  the  hill,  and  goes  home  rejoicing.  The  land- 
ing places  are  merely  warehouses,  with  perhaps  a  store. 
The  canyon  of  Snake  river  looks  like  an  inferno  ;  but  the 
traveler  who  judges  the  country  by  this  river  scenery  is 
entirely  out  of  his  reckoning.  For  example,  to  climb  the 
grade  opposite  Lewiston  is  two  hours'  hard  work,  over  two 
miles  of  distance;  but,  when  foot  is  placed  on  the  surface  of 
the  rim  rock,  a  rolling  prairie  region  of  excellent  farming 
land  is  spread  out  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  This  is  the 
case  generally  on  the  Columbia  and    Snake  rivers.     The 


South  of  Snake  River. 


381 


bars  lying  at  the  foot  of  the  high  bluffs  along  the  river 
have  proved  to  be  especially  favorable  for  peach  culture, 
and  the  yield  is  large  and  the  crop  has  never  failed. 


CENTRAL     WASHINGTON     RAILROAD. 


From  Cheney  to  Coulee  City,   108  Miles. 


This  road  was  built  as  a  feeder  to  the  Northern  Pacific 
as  far  as  Davenport  in  1888,  1889,  and  1890.  It  traverses, 
for  the  entire  distance,  a  fertile  rolling  prairie  country, 
diversified  with  occasional  small  groves  of  pine  timber,  and 
yielding  large  crops  of  all  the  small  grains.  This  region  is 
generally  known  as  "  The  Big  Bend  Country,"  from  the 
fact  that  it  is  surrounded  on  the  north  and  east  by  the  big 
bend  in  the  Columbia  river.  It  has  a  mild,  agreeable 
climate,  and  is  well  adapted  for  general  farming,  the  raising 
of  cattle,  horses  and  sheep,  and  also  for  fruit  culture.  The 
trains  on  this  branch  start  from  Spokane. 

Medical  Lake  (26  miles  from  Spokane)  is  situated  in 
the  midst  of  a  group  of  small  lakes,  three  of  which  having 
great  depth,  are  very  strongly  impregnated  with  .alkaline 
salts,  and  their  water  has  remarkable  curative  properties. 
One  in  particular  attracts  hundreds  of  invalids,  especially 
persons  affected  by  rheumatism,  skin  diseases,  and  nervous 
complaints.  Many  undoubted  cures  of  a  remarkable  nature 
are  recorded.  This  medical  lake,  par  excellence,  has  a 
medium  strength  of  salts,  while  another  has  a  very  strong 
impregnation,  and  the  third  is  very  weak.  The  region  is 
delightful,  and  can  be  made  a  very  pleasant  resort.  The 
country  people  come  and  pitch  their  tents  and  take  their 
baths  as  they  choose. 


384  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

The  early  history  of  this  lake  is  this.  A  Frenchman, 
named  Lefevre,  who  was  sorely  afflicted  with  rheumatism, 
was  tending  sheep  around  the  shores  of  the  lake.  He 
found  that  after  washing  the  sheep  in  the  lake  water  that 
his  rheumatism  was  less  painful,  so  he  began  to  bathe  his 
shrunken  limbs,  for  one  arm  was  wasted  away  and  carried 
in  a  sling.  The  result  was  a  perfect  cure  of  the  rheuma- 
tism, and  restoration  of  the  wasted  arm  to  its  natural  size. 
Lefevre  still  lives  at  Medical  Lake  in  perfect  health,  no 
longer  a  poor  shepherd,  for  the  increase  in  value  of  lands 
from  the  discovery  of  the  medical  properties  of  the  water 
has  made  him  independent. 

The  town  of  Medical  Lake  is  situated  on  the  eastern 
shore  of  this  lake;  it  has  three  hotels,  a  soap-making  es- 
tablishment, which  uses  the  waters  of  the  lake,  and  an 
establishment  for  evaporating  the  waters  and  producing  a 
salt  which  is  sold  for  medical  purposes.  Medical  Lake  is 
much  resorted  to  by  invalids,  and  is  a  favorite  camping 
ground  and  excursion  place  for  the  country  people  in  the 
vicinity. 

Deep  Creek  (315  miles  from  Spokane)  is  an  active 
country  trading  town,  surrounded  by  a  well-settled  farm- 
ing district,  and  having  a  small  but  valuable  water-power 
from  the  creek  for  which  it  is  named. 

Davenport  (57  miles  from  Spokane;  population,  600) 
is  the  central  town  of  the  Big  Bend  country,  and  was  estab- 
lished in  1883,  long  before  a  railroad  was  projected  through 
this  region.  It  is  the  diverging  point  of  numerous  stage 
and  mail  routes.  Fort  Spokane,  25  miles  north  of  Daven- 
port, at  the  junction  of  the  Spokane  and  Columbia  rivers, 
is  a  United  States  military  post,  garrisoned  by  two  com- 
panies of  infantry.  The  soldiers  are  stationed  at  this  point 
to  keep  an  eye  on  the  Indians  on  the  neighboring  reserva- 


From  Cheney  to  Coulee  City.  385 

tions  north  of  the  Spokane  and  west  of  the  Columbia 
rivers. 

Wilbur  (%$>  miles  from  Spokane)  is  a  new  town  of  about 
500  inhabitants.  The  surrounding  country  is  rolling 
prairie. 

Almira  (103  miles  from  Spokane)  is  a  farming  center 
with  a  population  of  400. 

Coulee  City  (124  miles  from  Spokane,  population  500) 
is  the  terminus  of  this  branch.  The  surrounding  country 
is  mainly  used  for  stock  raising.  The  town  is  situated  at 
the  middle  crossing  of  the  Grand  Coulee,  the  most  remark- 
able scenic  feature  of  the  Big  Bend  country.  It  is  a  pro- 
found volcanic  crevice,  extending  across  the  country  for  a 
distance  of  seventy-five  miles,  and  reaching  the  Columbia 
river  at  both  extremities.  Its  walls  are  of  basaltic  rock,  and 
of  an  average  height  of  about  800  feet.  The  floor  of  this 
great  chasm  varies  in  width  from  a  few  hundred  feet  to 
half  a  mile,  and  contains  many  alkali  ponds.  At  only  two 
places  are  there  natural  crossing  points  for  wagon  roads. 
At  these  places,  known  as  the  "  Middle  "  and  "Upper" 
crossings,  the  walls  of  the  canyon  have  been  broken  down 
by  volcanic  action.  Stages  run  from  Coulee  City  to  the 
Okanogan  mining  towns. 


NORTHERN    PACIFIC  AND    CASCADE 
BRANCH. 


This  branch  leaves  the  main  line  at  Crocker,  Washing- 
ton, at  the  head  of  the  Puyallup  valley,  and  sends  out  spurs 
to  the  coal  mining  towns  of  Douty,  Burnett,  Wilkeson  and 
Carbonado.  Of  these  the  largest  is  Carbonado,  which  has 
1,000  inhabitants  and  is  built  on  a  mountain  bench  high 
above  the  brawrling  waters  of  the  stream.  Mining  operations 
have  been  carried  on  here  for  many  years.  The  mines  are 
owned  by  the  Southern  Pacific  railroad  company,  and  the 
coal  is  shipped  to  San  Francisco,  by  ocean  vessels  loading 
at  the  coal  bunkers  in  Tacoma.  At  Wilkeson,  Burnett  and 
Douty  are  valuable  mines  which  ship  to  all  points  along 
the  Pacific  coast  and  also  supply  the  local  market  of 
Tacoma.  The  coal  found  in  this  field  is  of  different  quali- 
ties, but  may  all  be  classed  as  bituminous.  One  mine  fur- 
nishes a  coking  coal,  another  a  gas  coal,  and  others  coal 
particularly  adapted  for  locomotive  and  steamship  use. 


387 


UNITED  RAILROADS  of  WASHINGTON. 


tacoma  and  ocosta  llne,  from    lake  vlew  junction, 

9  Miles  from   Tacoma,  to  Ocosta — 

100    Miles. 


This  branch  of  the  Northern  Pacific  is  a  direct  line  from 
Tacoma  and  Seattle  to  the  lower  Chehalis  valley,  and  to 
the  sea-port  towns  of  Gray's  harbor.  It  traverses  much 
rich  alluvial  country,  where  farming  is  successfully  carried 
on  along  the  valleys  of  the  Black  river  and  the  Chehalis, 
and  gives  access  to  the  valleys  of  the  streams  flowing  into 
Gray's  harbor  from  the  north,  and  into  the  Pacific  from 
the  western  slopes  of  the  Olympic  mountains. 

Gate  City  (52  miles  from  Tacoma)  the  junction  point 
of  the  road  from  Centralia  on  the  N.  P.  main  line,  is  a 
new  agricultural  and  lumbering  town    of  500   inhabitants. 

Elma  (63  miles  from  Tacoma)  on  the  Chehalis,  popu- 
lation 500,  was  an  established  town  before  the  railroad  was 
built  and  is  supported  by  farming. 

Montesano,  (73  miles  from  Tacoma),  county  seat  of 
Chehalis  county,  is  a  handsome  town  of  2,000  inhabitants, 
situated  on  the  Chehalis  at  the  head  of  regular  navigation 
at  all  stages  of  water.  It  has  saw-mills  and  a  large  coun- 
try trade,  and  ocean  steamers  come  up  to  its  wharf  from 
Portland  and  from  San  Francisco. 

Cosmopolis  (88  miles  from  Tacoma)  is  a  saw-mill  town 
of  500  people,  eight  miles  down  the  river  from  Montesano, 


The  Tacoma  and  Ocosta  Line.  389 

Aberdeen  (87  miles  from  Tacoma,  population  2,500),  is 
built  on  level  ground  on  the  Chehalis,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Wiskah,  and  is  an  active  lumber  manufacturing  town.  It 
has  a  salmon  cannery  and  a  shipyard  where  coasting  ves- 
sels are  built  of  the  stout  fir  timber  which  abounds  in  this 
region. 

Hoquiam,  three  miles  below  Aberdeen,  stands  on  a 
delta  where  the  Chehalis  and  the  Hoquiam  rivers  join  and 
the  waters  of  both  flow  into  the  head  of  Gray's  harbor. 
Population  1,500.  The  chief  industry  is  lumber  manu- 
facturing. Hoquiam  has  an  opera  house  and  one  of  the 
largest  hotels  in  the  State,  a  handsome  structure  facing 
the  salt  water  and  surrounded  by  attractive  grounds. 

Ocosta  (100  miles  from  Tacoma),  terminus  of  the  rail- 
road, is  a  lumbering  and  shipping  town  of  500  people, 
situated  at  the  lower  end  of  Gray's  harbor  in  a  deep  cove 
sheltered  from  the  winds  and  waves  of  the  Pacific  by 
Peterson's  point. 

Westport,  on  Peterson's  point,  is  an  attractive  sum- 
mer resort,  with  three  hotels  and  some  lumbering  industry. 
The  pine  forests  reach  to  the  surf  of  the  Pacific.  Stages 
run  along  the  hard  beach  to  North  Cove,  on  Willapa 
harbor,  there  connecting  with  steamboats  for  South  Bend. 
This  trip  is  exceedingly  novel  and  picturesque.  Tourists 
making  it  can  return  to  the  main  line  of  the  Northern 
Pacific  by  a  branch  from  South  Bend  to  Chehalis. 

Chehalis  and  South  Bend  Line,  56  Miles. 

This  line  diverges  from  the  Pacific  division  of  the 
\.  P.  at  Chehalis,  and  crossing  the  low  range  of  wooded 
hills  known  as  «the  Boisfort  mountains,  reaches  the  agri- 
cultural valley    of   the    Willapa    river,    and    follows    that 


390 


The  Norther?i  Pacific  Railroad, 


stream    down   to   South   Bend.     The  only  town  of  impor- 
tance before  the  terminus  is  reached  is 

Willapa  City,  a  pretty  village  in  the  midst  of  orchards 
and  grain  fields,  to  which  steam  boats  run  from  points  on 
the  bay  and  river. 

South  Bend,  on  the  Willapa,  five  miles  above  its  mouth 
in  the  bay  of  the  same  name,  is  on  deep  water  and  is  reached 
by  large  steam  and  sailing  vessels  from  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
Willapa  bay  is  one  of  the  best  and  most  capacious  harbors 
on  the  Pacific  coast,  having  a  deep  and  safe  entrance  and 
land  locked  waters  spacious  enough  for  hundreds  of  ves- 
sels to  lie  at  anchor.  South  Bend  has  important  lumber 
industries,  and  with  the  completion  of  the  new  railroad 
will  soon  become  a  wheat  and  coal  shipping  port.  Salmon 
canning  is  an  established  business,  and  oysters  are  shipped 
from  the  flats  on  the  bay  to  San  Francisco  and  Portland, 
and  to  the  Sound  cities.  Ocean  steamers  run  to  San  Fran- 
cisco and  Portland.  Steamboats  run  to  Sealand,  North 
Cove  and  Willapa  City.     Population  of  South  Bend,  2,500. 


SEATTLE,  LAKE  SHORE  AND  EASTERN 
RAILWAY. 


From  Seattle  to  Sumas,  125  Miles,  with  a  Branch  from 
Woodinville  Junction  to  North  Bend,  35  Miles. 


The  Seattle,  Lake  Shore  &  Eastern  railroad  was  origi- 
nally a  local  Seattle  enterprise  which  started  to  build  a 
line  from  that  city  across  the  Cascade  mountains  as  far 
east  as  Spokane,  where  it  was  expected  that  it  would  head 
off  the  Great  Northern  and  become  the  west  end  of  that 
road.  The  road  was  built  by  the  local  company  fifty-nine 
miles  eastward  from  Seattle  to  the  base  of  the  mountains, 
and  about  forty  miles  were  constructed  westward  from 
Spokane.  A  line  was  also  built  northward  from  Woodin- 
ville Junction,  twenty-four  miles  out  of  Seattle,  nearly  due 
northward  to  Sumas,  on  the  British  Columbia  boundary. 
Sumas  is  125  miles  from  Seattle,  and  the  primary  object  of 
this   line  was  to    give    the  Canadian  Pacific    entrance    to 

1  tie.  The  company  became  involved  in  financial  diffi- 
culties and  a  few  years  ago  it  sold  out  its  lines  to  the 
Northern  Pacific,  turning  over  its  stock  on  condition  that 
its  debts  should  be  assumed  by  the  purchasing  corpora- 
tion. Thus  the  S.,  L.  S.  &  E.  became  a  division  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  system.  All  plans  of  building  across  the 
mountains  were   abandoned   before   the  transfer  of  owner- 

391 


392  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

ship  occurred,  and  the  line  to  Sumas  has  become  the  main 
line,  and  that  from  Woodinville  up  to  the  coal  mines  at 
Gilman,  to  the  superb  cataract  of  the  Snoqualmie  river,  and 
to  the  hop-fields  of  North  Bend,  is  run  as  a  branch.  The 
Sumas  line  connects  at  that  place  with  a  branch  of  the 
Canadian  Pacific,  running  to  Mission,  on  the  main  line  of 
that  road,  and  also  with  the  Bellingham  Bay  and  British 
Columbia  railroad,  which  runs  to  Whatcom,  twenty-three 
miles  from  Sumas. 

An  independent  line,  built  under  a  Canadian  charter, 
runs  from  Sumas  to  Vancouver,  by  way  of  New  West- 
minister, and  is  operated  as  an  extension  of  the  S.,  L.  S.  & 
E.,  forming  a  through  line  from  Tacoma  and  Seattle  to  the 
two  chief  cities  on  the  main  land  of  British  Columbia.  The 
Lake  Shore  &  Eastern,  on  the  other  hand,  has  penetrated 
a  region  that  was  for  the  most  part  a  wilderness  before  it 
was  constructed.  It  crosses  the  valleys  of  all  the  rivers 
that  run  into  the  Sound  from  the  east,  and  crosses  them 
at  points  about  midway  between  the  foothills  of  the  moun- 
tains and  the  tidewater  of  the  Sound.  The  road  is  inter- 
esting to  intending  settlers  who  may  wish  to  make 
homes  in  the  Puget  Sound  country  by  reason  of  the  fact 
that  it  makes  accessible  a  great  deal  of  good  land  along  the 
valleys  of  the  Snohomish,  the  Stillaguamish,  the  Ska- 
git and  the  Nooksack  rivers,  that  when  tilled  can  be  made 
very  productive  of  hops,  oats,  hay,  fruits  and  vegetables, 
and  that  can  be  cleared  at  moderate  expense.  In  the 
lower  parts  of  all  those  valleys  farmers  have  been  estab- 
lished for  many  years,  sending  their  products  out  on  small 
steamboats.  They  prospered  even  before  the  era  of  rail- 
ways and  cities  on  the  Sound. 

Snoqualmie  Falls  (52  miles  from  Seattle)  is  one  of  the 
most  superb  cataracts  in  the  world,  and  is  not  surpassed 


Snoqualmie  Falls,      •  393 

for  beauty  and  grandeur  by  any  of  the  famous  waterfalls 
in  Switzerland.  It  is  reached  by  three  hours'  rail  journey 
from  Seattle,  and  the  railroad  runs  to  the  brink  of  the 
chasm  into  which  the  Snoqualmie  river  plunges  over  a  sheer 
precipice  300  feet  high.  The  waters  of  the  river  are  of  a 
deep  blue  color,  the  walls  of  the  gorge  are  covered  with  a 
luxuriant  growth  of  trees,  vines  and  shrubs,  and  the  sun- 
light forms  vivid  rainbows  on  the"  mist  clouds  that  rise 
from  the  depths  of  the  chasm .  The  color  effects  of  this  won- 
derful scene  are  of  a  rare  and  surprising  beauty.  Tourists 
can  leave  Seattle  in  the  morning,  pass  three  hours  at  the 
falls  and  return  in  the  afternoon.  The  following  descrip- 
tion of  the  falls  is  from  the  Northwest  Magazine : 

A  river  of  like  name  begins  life  in  the  glaciers  of 
Mount  Si,  one  of  the  front  rank  peaks  of  the  solid  battle 
line  of  the  giant  Cascades.  Peacefully  and  contentedly, 
yet  with  an  occasional  stir  of  harmless  activity,  this  clear 
and  shallow  green  river  flows  onward  for  several  miles,  ap- 
parently innocent  of  its  own  approaching  tragedy.  A  few 
feet  above  the  falls  it  plays  around  a  group  of  stones, 
flashing  now  and  then  a  spray  of  white  as  flint  occasionally 
gives  evidence  of  pent-up  fire.  The  seeming  mirth  of  rock 
and  stream  recall  Browning's  "  Old  Brown  Earth,"  who 

M  sets  his  bones 

To  l>ask  i'  the  sun,  and  thrusts  out  knees  and  feet 

For  the  ripple  to  run  over  in  its  mirth 
Listening  the  while,  where  on  the  heap  of  stones 
The  white  breast  of  the  sea  lark  twitters  sweet." 

A  dull  boulder  audaciously  obstructs  the  stream's  hap- 
py course,  perhaps  to  warn  it  of  the  peril  that  lies  beyond. 
I  I'cdiess,  the  river  flows  on,  and  dividing,  encompasses  the 
"stony  obstacle.     Immediately  the  crisis  is  at  hand  and  with 
one  bold  leap   the  stream  becomes  a  cataract,  falling  over 


394  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

the  precipice  nearly  three  hundred  feet  into  a  gloomy 
chasm.  It  leaps — it  aches!  Do  streams,  like  "  hearts, 
after  leaps,  ache  V\ 

A  moment  ago  the  water  was  wont  to  go  warbling  so 
softly  and  well,  and  now  its  serenity  has  been  interrupted; 
it  is  no  longer  a  river  but  a  boundless,  turbulent  and 
never-ceasing  overflow;  a  liquid  avalanche,  a  tragedy  of 
water. 

Were  it  not  for  the  ugly  rock  that  darkly  protrudes 
itself  at  the  top  of  the  fall,  much  of  the  graceful  move- 
ment, resulting  from  the  division  of  the  stream,  would  be 
lost.  From  below  it  falls  the  wavy  white  spray,  and  in 
fancy  an  unseen  mermaid  sits  upon  the  rock,  her  long 
sea-hair  blown  outward  to  the  sun. 

The  entire  fall,  as  seen  from  above  and  opposite,  dees 
not  drop  directly,  but  rather  assumes  a  graceful  curve  as  it 
glides  continuously  through  the  air,  downward  yet  onward, 
like  some  huge  gull  that  delays  and  yet  delays  his  descent 
to  earth.  An  equally  attractive  view  of  the  waterfall  is  seen 
from  the  bottom  of  the  chasm,  which  is  reached  by  descend- 
ing a  long  flight  of  steps,  nearly  three  hundred  in  number. 
At  the  foot  of  the  cliff  in  the  lower  river,  large  logs  which 
have  been  precipitated  over  the  abrupt  declivity  are  often 
seen  tossing  about  in  their  wrath. 

The  chief  characteristics  of  Snoqualmie  falls  are  color, 
grace  and  volume.  The  water  is  a  study  in  color,  as  beau- 
tiful and  subdued  in  tone  as  a  marine  pastel.  The  river 
itself  is  a  dark,  cool  green,  but  as  it  curves  over  the  preci- 
pice the  volume  of  water  changes  to  a  pure  aqua  marine 
tint.  This  fresh  contrasting  color  is  soon  lost  as  the  fall 
breaks  forth  into  joyous  foam,  undefined  and  uncon- 
strained. Changing  again,  its  snowy  substance  turns  to* 
pearly  smoke,  and,  moving,  groups  itself  into  hundreds  of 


S no  qualm  ie  Falls.  395 

graceful  points  which  resemble  the  last  triumphal  shoots 
of  sky-rockets,  that  inverted  point  below  to  their  own  fate. 
The  fairy  pinions  form  ever  and  again,  and  as  one  waits  ex- 
pectantly for  them  to  burst,  they  are  lost  in  mist  and 
spray,  which  rise  like  incense  from  the  boiling  cauldron 
where  the  river  has  been  poured.  These  graceful  forma- 
tions give  a  feathery  and  floating  appearance  to  the  fall, 
and  comprise  its  most  beautiful  feature.  On  a  cloudy  or 
rainy  day  snow  white  and  sea  green  are  the  distinctive 
shades,  softened  by  tints  of  pearl.  A  faint  heliotrope  rose 
hue  enters,  having  no  more  definite  location  than  the  first 
dim  hint  of  sunrise  color  that  mysteriously  steals  into  the 
gray  of  dawn.  When  the  sun  is  out  it  plays  all  day  with  kal- 
eidoscope brilliancy  about  the  water,  implanting  in  the  spray 
a  perfect  rainbow,  which  rises  higher  and  higher  as  the 
great  golden  charioteer  draws  darkness  into  light. 

To  a  person  devoid  of  the  sense  of  hearing,  a  gigantic 
waterfall  must  seem  as  tame  as  its  painting  in  oils,  for  in 
sound  is  its  volume  and  force  given  full  utterance.  It  is 
one  of  the  grand  orchestral  climaxes  of  nature's  music, 
whose  sounds  range  from  the  first  faint,  sweet  note  of  the 
spring  time  song-bird  and  the  the  soft  undulating  vibration 
of  the  running  stream,  to  the  majestic  melody  of  the  moun- 
tain's thunderous  avalanches  and  the  distant  artillery  of 
the  opposing  clouds.  The  noise  of  a  fall  holds  as  distinct 
a  position  in  the  world  of  sound  as  do  the  separate  instru- 
ments of  an  orchestra  that  blend  together  in  a  harmonious 
whole.  Analytically,  however,  the  sounds  of  this  mass  of 
falling  water  are  two-fold,  and,  strangely  enough,  their 
different  sources  are  discoverable.  From  where  the  river 
dashes  tumultuously  to  the  foot  of  the  precipice,  comes 
the  thunderous  tone  of  distant  canyon,  deep,  melodious  and 
mighty.     The  continual  thud  falls  upon  the  ear  like  a  rich 


396  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 

musical  chord  from  a  base  viol.  Outside,  the  softer  yet 
more  searching  sound  of  the  foamy  spray  arises,  resem- 
bling, at  a  distance,  the  moans  of  forests  sighing  for  sun- 
shine and  their  lost  birds.  Together  the  two  sounds  com- 
prise the  one  distinct  noise  of  a  great  fall.  Either  alone 
could  not  compose  its  music  which,  like  the  tones  of  an 
organ,  is  two  fold  in  its  melody. 

While  standing  on  a  little  piazza  slightly  overhanging 
the  canyon,  it  is  impossible  to  avert  the  eyes  from  the 
magnetic  sight.  The  beauty,  volume  and  grace  of  the 
falls  of  the  Snoqualmie  fascinate  and  electrify  until,  like 
a  u  long  draught  of  soul  wine,"  they  enter  the  spirit,  bring- 
ing satisfaction  and  perfect  rest.  The  fall  is  emblematic 
of  eternity,  for  as  long  as  sun  shines  and  rain  falls,  the 
ceaseless  activity  of  this  masterpiece  of  nature  must  go  on 
forever  and  forever. 

The  eye  is  turned  away,  and  beyond  and  below  lies  a 
clear,  shallow,  green  river,  slowly  winding  its  tranquil  way 
through  miles  of  forest  to  a  homeless  sea. 

Snohomish  (37  miles  from  Seattle),  county  seat  of  the 
county  of  the  same  name,  is  a  pleasant  place  of  orchards 
and  flower  gardens,  of  pretty  homes,  of  busy  business 
streets,  of  mills  where  fragrant  cedar  shingles  are  split  out 
of  sections  of  huge  tree  trunks,  of  railway  activity  and  of 
steamboat  wharves,  whence  little  brown,  puffing  boats 
depart  for  Everett,  at.  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  for  farms 
and  villages  up  streams.  The  population  is  not  far  from 
3,500.  It  is  not  a  raw,  new  town,  like  so  many  in  this  new 
State,  but  can  show  in  its  central  district  evidences  of  a 
respectable  age  in  the  old  warehouses  that  overhang  the 
river,and  in  many-gabled  structures  that  evidently  date  from 
another  architectural  epoch.  In  fact,  the  pioneer  settler 
came  to  the  place  as  long  ago  as  i860.     The  new  Everett  & 


Toward  British  Columbia,  39? 

Monte  Cristo  road  runs  a  number  of  local  trains  daily  for 
passenger  travel  to  and  from  EvTerett.  This  road  makes  use 
of  the  main  line  of  the  S.,  L.  S.  &  E.  road  from  Snohomish 
northward  toGetchell,  thirty  miles,  before  turning  eastward 
to  reach  the  mines  at  the  foot  of  the  Cascade  mountains. 
The  main  line  of  the  Great  Northern  road,  leaving  the 
Sound  at  Everett,  runs  through  Snohomish  and  follows 
the  course  of  the  Skykomish  river  up  to  the  mountains  at 
Stevens  Pass.  A  large  business  is  done  in  the  manufacture 
of  cedar  shingles  by  five  mills  located  in  or  near  the  town. 

There  are  no  large  towns  on  this  road  north  of  Snoho- 
mish. Lumbering  and  the  manufacture  of  cedar  shingles 
are  the  chief  industries  of  all  the  settlements,  and  all  do 
some  trade  with  farmers  who  cultivate  the  bottom  lands 
along  the  rivers.  Arlington  and  McMurray  are  smart  vil- 
lages with  about  500  people  each.  Sedro  and  Woolley 
are  practically  onf  place,  though  under  separate  municipal 
governments.  They  are  on  the  Skagit  river,  a  broad  and 
powerful  stream,  fed  by  mountain  torrents.  Here  the 
Seattle  &  Northern  road  crosses,  running  west  to  Anacor- 
tes,  on  the  Sound,  and  east  to  Hamilton,  where  there  are  coal 
and  iron  fields.  The  Fairhaven  &  Southern  line,  from 
Fairhaven,  on  the  Sound,  to  coal  mines  six  miles  east, 
also  crosses  here.  It  belongs  to  the  Great  Northern  com- 
pany. Nooksack  is  an  attractive  place  in  the  valley  of  the 
river  of  the  same  name. 

Sumas  (125  miles   from  Seattle,  population  500)  is  an 

important   railway  junction,  point  and  does  some  business 

in  lumber  and  shingle  manufacturing.     It  is  built   close  to 

the    international   boundary  line,  on   a   small  prairie.     Be- 

s  the    Northern  Pacific    line  to    Seattle,  Sumas  has  a 

ii    road    to    New  Whatcom,  a  branch    of   the    Canadian 

and  also  the  Burrard  Inlet  and   Fraser  Valley  road 

1  to  New  Westminster  and  Vancouver. 


398  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad.    • 

New  Westminster,  B.  C,  is  an  old,  handsome  town 
of  8,000  inhabitants,  dating  back  to  1853.  It  rises  in 
terraces  from  the  shore  of  a  noble  river,  the  Fraser.  From 
the  highest  points  you  can  look  over  the  broad  delta  west- 
ward for  sixteen  miles  to  the  river's  mouth  in  the  Gulf  of 
Georgia.  All  the  residence  lots  have  a  frontage  of  sixty- 
six  feet,  and  four  of  them  make  an  acre.  Thus  every 
household  can  have  front  trees,  roses  and  lilacs,  and  a 
kitchen  garden,  and  few  houses  are  so  situated  as  to  be 
deprived  of  a  share  in  the  views  up  and  down  the  Fraser. 
Sawing  lumber  and  canning  salmon  are  the  chief  industries, 
and  there  is  a  good  deal  of  trade  with  farmers  along  the 
rich  bottom-lands.  A  branch  of  the  Canadian  Pacific 
reaches  the  town,  and  a  branch  of  the  Great  Northern 
comes  to  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river  and  its  passengers 
are  ferried  across.  The  Northern  Pacific  connecting  line 
crosses  the  Fraser  on  a  bridge  which  cost  $250,000. 

Vancouver,  B.  C,  is  the  western  terminus  of  the 
Canadian  Pacific  railway,  since  the  completion  of  that  road 
to  the  tidewater  of  the  Pacific  in  1886.  Its  population  is 
about  15,000.  It  has  a  remarkably  advantageous  site  on  a 
peninsula  between  the  deep  waters  of  Burrard  Inlet  and 
the  shallow  tidal  flow  of  False  creek.  The  inlet  is  a  minia- 
ture Puget  Sound,  deep,  land-locked  and  mountain  rimmed. 
It  puts  up  into  the  land  from  the  Gulf  of  Georgia  for  over 
twenty  miles,  and  the  largest  ships  that  float  can  enter  the 
narrow  entrance,  less  than  half  a  mile  wide,  and  lie  at 
anchor  anywhereon  this  beautiful  fiord,  or  can  go  up  either 
of  its  two  branches  to  lumber  mills  and  camps  in  the  heart 
of  tremendous  mountain  fastnesses.  False  creek,  too, 
has  a  commercial  value,  for  rafts  of  logs  are  towed  up  to 
sawmills  on  its  banks  at  high  tide.  Between  the  inlet  and 
the  creek  the  ground  orP  which  the  city  is  built  swells  up 


Vancouver,  B.  C.  399 

like  a  turtles  back,  giving  perfect  drainage  in  one  direction 
or  the  other  and  offering  no  steep  ascents  to  worry  teams 
and  put  pedestrians  out  of  breath.  The  business  district 
runs  along  the  back  and  the  neck  of  the  turtle,  and  on 
what  we  might  call  its  head  there  is  a  well  built-district  of 
both  residences  and  stores.  Across  False  creek  is  a  popu- 
lous suburb  connected  with  the  city  by  three  bridges. 

The  mountain  panorama  north  of  the  inlet  is  so  strik- 
ing that  it  holds  the  eye  for  a  time  from  any  close  inspec- 
tion of  the  city  at  our  feet.  Gigantic  peaks,  dark,  for- 
bidding and  cloud-swept,  rise  from  the  water's  edge  to 
altitudes  of  five  and  six  thousand  feet.  Only  in  a  few 
places  do  their  frowning  walls  recede  a  little  from  the  tide 
to  allow  a  little  room  for  human  occupancy — an  Indian 
village  with  its  church  spire  opposite  the  town  and  a  saw- 
mill settlement  further  up.  Gloomy  defiles  reach  far  back 
into  the  heart  of  the  mountains,  and  on  the  crests  of  the 
tallest  peaks  are  scarfs  and  hoods  of  snow,  making  the 
dark  foliage  of  the  firs  appear  black  by  contrast.  The 
waters  of  the  inlet,  where  tall  ships  ride  at  anchor  and 
sail  boats  glide  about,  look  very  peaceful  and  inviting 
by  contrast  with  these  rugged  giants  of  the  Coast  Range 
that    thrust    their    feet    into  the    tide  flowing  in  from  the 

ific  Ocean.  Now  look  seaward.  Beyond  the  throat 
of  the  inlet  lies  English  bay,  and  in  the  far  west  gleam 
the  waters  of  the  Gulf  of  Georgia,  which  separates 
the  British  Columbia  mainland  from  Vancouver  Island. 
Ships  coming  in  from  sea  bound  to  Vancouver  city  sail  up 
the  Strait  of  Fuca,  round  the  south  end  of  Vancouver  Island 
and  turn  north  up  the  Gulf  of  Georgia  to  Burrard  Inlet. 
en  sea  beyond  Cape  Flattery  to  the  inlet  the 
distance  is  about  150  miles. 

v    let    your   eye    follow    the    long   expanse    of    the 


400  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

young  city.  Note  the  handsome  granite  buildings  of  the 
Dominion  post-office,  and  the  banks,  the  many  solid  busi- 
ness blocks,  the  long  stretch  of  Cordova '  street,  where 
trade  most  concentrates,  the  parallel  length  of  Hastings 
street  and  the  cross  street  called  Granville,  up  which  trade 
is  steadily  marching  from  the  water-side  to  the  Hotel 
Vancouver  and  the  pretty  opera  house,  both  owned  by  the 
Canadian  Pacific  railway.  The  volumes  of  smoke  here  and 
there  along  both  water  fronts  come  from  mills  engaged  in 
sawing  fir  and  cedar  lumber  for  shipment  by  rail  to  the 
eastern  provinces  of  Canada,  and  by  sea  to  Australia 
and  South  America.  That  brick  factory  with  the  monu- 
mental chimney  in  the  extreme  eastern  end  of  the  town  is 
a  sugar  refinery,  getting  its  raw  material  from  the  Sand- 
wich Islands,  and  the  cluster  of  smoky  buildings  near  by 
from  a  big  foundry  and  machine  shops  where  steamships, 
engines,  and  sawmill  machinery  are  built  and  repaired. 
That  cluster  of  masts  belong  to  sailing  ships  that  are 
taking  on  cargoes  of  lumber  for  foreign  ports.  If  we  are 
lucky  enough  in  our  day  of  observation  we  shall  see  one 
of  the  huge,  white  China  steamers  starting  on  her  long 
voyage  across  the  Pacific. 


A  Trip  to  Alaska. 


Alaska  extends  from  a  point  six  hundred  miles  north  of  the 
dividing  line  between  the  United  States  proper  and  the  British 
possessions  to  the  shores  of  the  Polar  Sea,  and  as  far  west  of 
San  Francisco  as  the  coast  of  Maine  lies  to  the  east. 

There  is  so  much  of  romance  associated  with  the  idea  of  a 
trip  to  this  far  and  mysterious  Northland,  so  much  that  appeals 
to  the  imagination  of  even  the  most  phlegmatic  and  sober- 
minded  among  us,  that  could  it  be  brought  home  to  the 
American  people,  with  the  force  and  vividness  of  some  great 
and  sudden  event  in  contemporary  history,  that  it  is  possible 
to  make  comfortably  and  inexpensively,  within  the  narrow 
compass  of  fourteen  days,  a  voyage  extending  to  within  a  few 
degrees  of  the  Arctic  circle  and  embracing  many  of  the  great- 
est wonders  of  that  land  of  icebergs  and  glaciers,  not  all  the 
ships  that  sail  American  waters  would  be  adequate  for  the  con- 
veyance of  the  rush  of  travel  that  would  at  once  ensue. 

rroneotis,  however,  are  the  prevailing  ideas  with  regard 
to  our  distant  possession,  and  so  liable  to  become  the  founda- 
tions of  utterly  wrong  inferences  are  even  those  actual  facts 
regarding  the  country,  which  have,  by  slow  degrees,  found 
entrance  into  the  public:  mind,  that  such  statements  as  that  a 
>erature  of  zero  is  rarely  ever  known  at  Sitka,  that  often 
an  entire  winter  will  pass  without  ice  being  formed  thicker 
than    a   knife    blade,  and    that    there   is    not   a   day  in  the  year 

(488) 


404  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

when  vessels  may  not  load  and  unload  in  the  harbor  of  the 
capital  city,  are  received  with  more  or  less  incredulity,  and 
regarded  as  utterly  inconsistent  with  the  fact  that  perpetual 
snow  is  found  within  three  thousand  feet  of  the  sea-level,  and 
that  rivers  of  ice,  1,000  feet  dee}),  run  down  to  the  sea  from 
far  in  the  interior  of  the  country.  Visions,  too.  are  conjured 
up  of  cramped  and  greasy  little  whale  boats,  making  tedious 
voyages,  at  irregular  intervals,  through  rough  seas  that  in  so 
great  a  distance  cannot  fail  to  be  tempestuous. 

That  large  and  well-appointed  steamships  are  engaged  in  a 
regular  service,  and  that  the  long  voyage  they  make  is  never 
productive  of  more  than  a  transient  squeamishness,  however 
susceptible  be  the  traveler,  are  almost  incredible  pieces  of 
news  to  those  who  hear  them  for  the  first  time;  and  yet,  while 
such  erroneous  notions  as  have  been  cited  are  current,  one 
venturesome  traveler  after  another,  to  the  surprise,  and  not 
unfrequently  against  the  advice  and  remonstrance  of  his 
friends,  ventures  forth  to  put  the  claims  and  pretensions  of  the 
railroad  and  steamship  companies  to  the  test,  and  return  to  be 
the  hero  of  the  social  circle  in  which  he  moves.  But  if  this  is 
the  condition  of  things  to-day,  it  will  be  but  a  short  time  before 
the  Alaska  excursion  will  no  longer  be  the  subject  of  these 
various  misconceptions,  but  will  have  taken  the  place  to  which 
it  is  entitled  in  popular  estimation. 

Tacoma  is  the  starting  point  for  the  Alaska  excursion,  and 
it  is  there  that  our  company,  drawn  from  every  part  of  the 
country  and  even  from  abroad,  will  gather  in  the  spacious  halls 
of  its  great  hotel,  within  twenty-four  hours  of  the  advertised 
time  of  sailing.  During  the  season  of  1888,  that  hour  was  4.00 
A.  M.,  and  passengers  went  aboard  the  previous  evening,  to 
look  out  in  the  early  morning  through  the  windows  of  their 
staterooms  upon  the  city  of  Seattle,  beautifully  situated  on  a 
series  of  terraces  rising  from  the  east  shore  of  Elliott  Bay. 


A    Trip  to  Alaska.  405 

Seattle  is  the  oldest  American  city  on  the  Sound,  and  has 
long  been  a  place  of  considerable  importance.  The  enterprise 
of  its  people  and  their  unbounded  faith  in  its  future,  even 
after  Tacoma  was  selected  as  the  western  terminus  of  the  great 
transcontinental  line  over  which  the  traveler  has  journeyed, 
need  no  setting-forth  in  these  pages;  neither  do  the  great  and 
varied  resources  of  the  rich  country  tributary  to  it,  for  have 
they  not  been  advertised  through  the  length  and  breadth  of 
the  land  ?  On  the  outward  voyage,  the  tourist  has  to  content 
himself  with  surveying  the  city  from  the  deck  of  the  steamer, 
deferring  until  his  return  that  more  careful  inspection  of  which 
the  city  and  its  environs  are  so  well  worthy. 

A  delightful  three  hours'  sail  on  the  broad  waters  of  the 
Sound,  the  Mediterranean  of  the  Northwest,  with  its  fir-lined 
shores,  and  the  glorious,  snow-crowned  peaks  of  Tacoma  and 
Baker  looming  up  against  the  sky  in  regal  majesty,  and  the 
ner  runs  alongside  the  wharf  at  Port  Townsend,  the  port 
of  entry  for  the  Puget  Sound  district.  This  town,  not  inaptly 
called  the  Gate  City  of  the  Sound,  possesses  an  excellent 
harbor,  with  both  good  anchorage  and  adequate  shelter.  It 
takes  but  a  short  time  for  compliance  with  the  requirements  of 
the  Customs  as  they  affect  an  outward-bound  steamer,  and  off 
we  go  again,  this  time  right  across  the  Strait  to  San  Juan  de 
Kim  a,  an  outlet  to  the  open  sea.  As  the  kingly  forn  of  Mount 
oma  recedes  into  the  distance,  that  of  Mount  liaker 
Increases  in  distinctness,  while  we  have  also  a  fine  view  of  the 
Olympic  Mountains  on  our  left,  and  the  lofty  ranges  of  Van- 
Couver  Lsland,  for  whose  beautiful  capital  we  are  now  steering, 
right  before  us. 

So  exceedingly  picturesque  and  generally  attractive  is  the 

ii  <•  presented  by  the  City  of  Victoria  to  an  approach- 

imer,    that    it    is    with    no    little    satisfaction  that  the 

traveler   learns  that  a  stop  of   several  hours  will  be  made  in  its 


406  The   Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

harbor.  While  there  is  no  lack  of  American  cities  that  have 
attained,  within  a  period  corresponding  to  that  of  the  growth 
of  Victoria,  far  greater  magnitude  and  commercial  importance, 
the  beautiful  capital  of  British  Columbia  is  fashioned  after  so. 
very  different  a  pattern,  and  presents,  if  not  to  old-world  eyes, 
at  least  to  most  Americans,  so  quaint  an  appearance,  with  its 
ivy-covered  houses,  its  admirable  roads  and  its  fortifications, 
that  it  is  hard  to  believe  that  it  is  really  the  young  city  it  is. 
It  is,  however,  but  little  more  than  forty  years  since  the  United 
States  ship  Vincciuics,  entering  the  Sound  through  the  Straits 
of  Fuca,  found  what  is  now  its  site  a  most  forbidding  picture 
of  savage  life.  It  was  the  Caribou  mining  excitement  of  1868, 
that  first  brought  any  considerable  population — and  that  a 
mere  transient  one — around  the  post  established  here,  a  few 
years  before,  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  In  1870, 
although  it  had  in  the  meantime  been  made  the  capital  of  the 
Province,  Victoria  contained  but  3,270  inhabitants.  Its  present 
population  is  about  15,000,  and  there  is  probably  no  more  self- 
contained  city  of  its  size  in  the  world,  for  it  has  its  own 
orchards  and  pastures,  forests  and  coal  fields,  while  its  manu- 
factories are  as  varied  as  those  of  many  cities  ten  times  its 
size. 

It  is  not,  however,  with  these  things  that  the  transient  vis- 
itor is  chiefly  concerned,  nor  even  with  the  exceptionally  fine 
climate  it  enjoys,  except  in  so  far  as  the  clear  skies  and  balmy 
air  he  is  almost  certain  to  find  there  may  contribute  to  the 
sum  total  of  his  enjoyment.  It  is  rather  with  its  superb  situa- 
tion, with  the  sea  on  three  sides,  bordered  by  picturesque 
shores  and  grassy  hills.  These  will  assuredly  delight  him,  as 
will  also — and  possibly  still  more — a  drive  through  its  glorious 
woods,  with  their  lovely  undergrowth  of  almost  tropical 
luxuriance,  to  the  neighboring  village  of  Esquimalt,  with  its  fine 
harbor,  its  immense  dry  dock,  its  naval  arsenal,  and  the  ships  of 


408  The  Northern  Pacific   Railroad. 

the  British  Naval  Squadron  of  the  Pacific,  of  which  it  is  the 
rendezvous.  Returning  to  the  city,  he  may  stroll  into  one  of 
its  old  curiosity  shops,  filled  with  a  tempting  display  of  those 
various  artistic  products  in  which  the  native  races  of  the 
northwest  coast  so  greatly  excel.  On  his  way  back  to  the 
steamer,  he  will  not  fail  to  admire  the  striking  picture  pre- 
sented by  the  almost  land-locked  inner  harbor  with  its  ship- 
ping, its  Indian  canoes,  its  narrow  rocky  entrance,  and  its 
white  lighthouse,  standing  out  against  the  dark  foliage  of  the 
adjacent  woods;  nor  the  glistening  peaks  of  the  Olympic 
Mountains,  over  in  the  State  of  Washington,  nor  yet  the  trim 
and  tasteful,  but  unpretentious,  government  buildings  overlook- 
ing James  Bay. 

While,  among  the  thousands  of  tourists  who  visit  this  city 
annually,  there  may  be  one  or  two  who  will  give  it  a  bad  name, 
because  they  have  had  to  pay  for  some  trifling  article  a  few 
cents  more  than  they  had  been  accustomed  to,  or  rushing  into 
the  post-office  just  as  the  mail  was  being  made  up  were  sur- 
prised to  learn  that  postage  stamps  were  obtainable  only  at  the 
stationery  stores,  ninety-nine  out  of  every  hundred  leave  this 
beautiful  and  interesting  little  city  with  regret,  and  carry 
away  with  them  only  the  pleasantest  recollections  of  their  brief 
visit. 

When  the  steamer  once  more  gets  under  way,  we  feel  as 
though  our  voyage  had  at  last  begun  in  good  earnest,  and 
maps,  guide  books  and  glasses  make  their  appearance,  in 
numbers  almost  sufficient  to  start  a  bookseller  and  optician  in 
business.  One  will  have  provided  himself  with  ''Alaska  and 
its  Resources,"  by  Mr.  W.  H.  Dall,  of  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion, a  work  which,  although  twenty  years  old  or  nearly,  is 
still  the  only  comprehensive  and  trustworthy  description  of 
the  Territory,  as  a  whole;  another  will  have  the  Alaska  volume 
of  Mr.  H.  H.  Bancroft's  "  History  of   the    Pacific   States  ;" 


A    Trip  to  Alaska.  409 

while  a  third  will  produce  from  his  baggage  Dr.  Sheldon  Jack- 
son on  "  Alaska  and  Missions,"  an  excellent  work  founded  on 
extensive  observation  during  several  years'  residence,  and 
dealing  especially  with  the  labors  of  the  various  Christian 
missionaries  in  this  great  field.  Others,  desirous  of  seeing  the 
impression  produced  upon  transient  visitors  like  themselves, 
will  be  conning  the  pages  of"  Miss  Scidmore's  "  Journeys  in 
Alaska,"  or  those  of  "  Our  New  Alaska,"  by  Mr.  Chas.  Hal- 
lock;  while  probably  some  English  tourist,  with  the  love  of 
mountain  climbing  and  adventure  characteristic  of  his  race, 
will  follow  the  wanderings  of  Mr.  Whymper.  or  Mr.  Seton- 
Karr,  in  the  respective  works  "  Travels  in  Alaska  "  and  "  The 
Shores  and  Alps  of  Alaska." 

Before  reaching  any  broad  expanse  of  open  water,  the 
steamer  passes  through  a  picturesque  archipelago,  which  faint- 
ly foreshadows  in  beauty  the  island-studded  waters  through 
which  will  lie  so  large  a  part  of  our  voyage.  A  momentary 
interest  is  here  excited  by  our  passing  on  the  right  the  island 
of  San  Juan,  the  possession  of  which,  as  every  reader  will  re- 
member, was  awarded  to  the  United  States,  in  1872,  by  the 
Emperor  of  Germany,  then  King  of  Prussia,  to  whom  had  been 
referred  the  interpretation  of  a  treaty  of  somewhat  ambiguous 
phraseology. 

Almost  uniformly  smooth  as  is  the  navigation  of  the  Inland 
Passage,  the  arrival  and  departure  of  the  steamer  at  or  from 
particular  points  can  not  be  predicted  many  hours  in  advance, 
Mich  depends  upon  the  state  of  the  tide.  Even  in  this 
high  latitude  night  comes  at  last,  and  the  first  question  in  the 
morning,  from  almost  every  passenger  is, "Where  are  we  now?" 
If,  tl  il  were  possible  to  relieve  the  ship's  officers  of  the 

endless  string  of  questions  with  which  they  are  plied,  as  to 
the  whereabouts  of  the  steamer  at  particular  times,  it  would  be 
a  grateful  task  to  do  SO,  but  all  that   Is   practicable   is  to  point 


410  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

out  the  principal%landmarks  and  the  chief  points  of  interest,  so 
that  these  more  or  less  troublesome  inquiries  may  be  reduced 
to  a  minimum. 

For  fully  a  day  and  a  half  after  leaving  Victoria,  we  have 
on  our  left  the  great  island  of  Vancouver,  300  miles  in  length, 
and  by  far  the  largest  island  on  the  Pacific  Coast.  Having 
passed  through  the  archipelago,  to  which  reference  has  already 
been  made,  and  which  occupies  the  extreme  southern  portion 
of  the  Strait,  or  Gulf,  of  Georgia,  as  it  is  variously  designated, 
we  come  to  the  greatest  expanse  of  water  to  be  met  with  on 
our  entire  trip,  save  those  occasional  points  where  we  are  able, 
for  a  brief  period,  to  look  out  upon  the  open  sea.  Before 
long,  however,  we  have  the  large  island  of  Taxada  on  our 
right.  This  island,  which  is  largely  in  the  hands  of  specula- 
tors, among  whom  is  at  least  one  American  company,  contains 
an  immense  deposit  of  iron  ore,  rendered  especially  valuable 
by  its  exceptionally  low  percentage  of  phosphorus. 

Another  unbroken  expanse  of  water,  and  we  enter  the  first 
of  those  wonderful  river-like  channels  through  whose  pictur- 
esque sinuosities  three-fourths  of  our  voyage  will  lie.  This  is 
Discovery  Passage.  It  lies  between  the  western  side  of 
Valdes  Island  and  the  northeastern  shore  of  Vancouver  Island. 
The  southern  extremity  of  the  former  island,  known  as  Cape 
Mudge,  is  a  peculiar  headland  about  250  feet  high,  flat  and. 
wooded  on  its  summit.  As  the  steamer  approaches  this  point, 
every  passenger  on  deck  expects  it  to  continue  on  its  course 
through  the  broad  open  waters  to  the  right.  Instead  of  that, 
however,  it  leaves  the  headland  to  the  right,  and  enters  the 
narrow  passage,  not  more  than  a  mile  in  breadth,  lying  to  the 
west  of  it.  For  23  miles  it  follows  this  picturesque  waterway, 
overshadowed  by  noble  mountains  rising  from  both  shores. 

From  an  expansion  of  the  Passage,  caused  by  an  indentation 
on  the  Vancouver  shore,  known  as  Menzies  Bay,  we  pass  into 


4L2  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

the  famous  Seymour  Narrows,  a  gorge  two  miles  in  length,  and 
less  than  one-half  mile  in  breadth.  Through  this  contracted 
channel,  the  tides  rush  with  great  velocity,  sometimes  running 
nine  knots  an  hour.  The  steamer  is  usually  timed  to  reach 
this  point  at  low  water,  but  it  rarely  happens  that  the  waters 
are  not  seen  in  a  state  of  tumult  sufficient  to  constitute  their 
passage  a  decidedly  interesting  feature  of  the  voyage. 

At  Chatham  Point,  a  low,  rocky  promontory  on  the  Van- 
couver Island  shore,  we  take  the  more  westerly  of  two  ap- 
parently practicable  channels,  and  enter  Johnstone  Strait,  55 
miles  in  length.  For  some  distance,  this  channel  is  very 
similar  to  Discovery  Passage,  though  it  subsequently  broadens 
out  to  a  width  of  from  one  and  one-half  to  three  miles.  The 
magnificent  range  that  rises  from  the  Vancouver  Island  shore 
is  the  Prince  of  Wales  range,  the  highest  point  of  which,  Mount 
Albert  Edward,  rises  6,968  feet  above  the  waterway  that  washes 
its  base.  It  is  never  entirely  free  from  snow,  traces  of  which, 
indeed,  extend  down  the  dark  sides  of  the  mountain  to  within 
2,000  or  3,000  feet  of  the  sea  level.  A  noble  snow-covered 
peak  is  about  this  time  a  prominent  object  on  the  right,  while 
nearer  at  hand  many  beautiful  inlets  engage  the  traveler's 
attention.  For  some  miles  northward  from  the  entrance 
to  Johnstone  Strait,  the  land  on  the  right  is  Thurlow  Island. 
This  is  succeeded  by  Hardwick  Island,  from  which  it  is 
separated  by  Chancellor  Channel,  connecting  with  the  broad 
water  way  which  seemed  to  the  traveler  the  more  likely  course  for 
the  steamer  to  take  when,  a  few  hours  before,  she  entered  the 
narrow  Discovery  Passage.  Another  channel  intervening,  and 
we  have  the  mainland  of  British  Columbia  forming  the  eastern 
shore  of  the  strait.  It  is  much  indented  by  bays  and  inlets, 
and  many  fine  lofty  peaks  tower  up  beyond  it,  while  on  the 
opposite  or  Vancouver  Island  shore,  Mount  Palmerston  pre- 
sents an  exceedingly  fine  appearance.     The  islands  which  have 


A    Trip  to  Alaska.  413 

been  mentioned  are  only  those  larger  bodies  of  land  separated 
from  the  mainland  by  narrow  channels,  and  for  the  most  part 
so  mountainous  that  they  would  be  mistaken  for  the  mainland 
in  the  absence  of  any  statement  to  the  contrary.  The  thous- 
ands of  islands,  from  mere  rocky  points,  a  few  square  feet  in 
extent,  to  those  larger  summits  of  submerged  mountains  which 
may  sometime  become  the  sites  of  delightful  summer  homes, 
it  is  impossible  to  particularize;  and  it  need  only  be  said  that 
in  their  multitude  and  variety — each  having  some  beauty 
peculiar  to  itself — they  form,  with  the  bold  shores  of  the  strait 
and  the  distant  snow-covered  peaks,  a  series  of  pictures  of 
which  the  traveler  never  wearies  and  which  he  can  never  forget. 
The  northern  entrance  to  Johnstone  Strait  is  occupied  by  a 
beautiful  archipelago,  the  two  largest  islands  of  which  are  Han- 
son Island  and  Cormorant  Island.  On  the  latter,  between 
which  and  Vancouver  Island  we  continue  our  course  northwest 
through  Broughton  Strait,  is  Alert  Bay,  with  a  large  salmon 
cannery,  an  Indian  village  and  a  Mission.  The  remarkable 
conical  peak  long  visible  on  Vancouver  Island  is  Mount 
Holdsworth. 

From  Broughton  Strait,  fifteen  miles  in  length,  we  suddenly 
emerge  into  the  broad  Queen  Charlotte  Sound,  a  magnificent 

mse  of  water,  twelve  to  eighteen  miles  from  shore  to  shore. 
The  extensive  views  here  obtained  present  a  striking  contrast 
to  the  scenery  of  the  narrow  passage  through  which  for  some 
hours  the  steamer's  course-  has  lain.  An  interesting  point  on 
the  west  shore   is   Fort    Rupert,  a  post  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 

tpany,  with  a  large  Indian  village  adjoining  it.  Continuing 
on  its  course,  within  a  short  distance  of  the  Vancouver  Island 
shore,  our  good  ship  next  enters  Goletas  Channel,  where  we 
have  (ialiano  and  Hope  Islands,  together  with  some  hundreds 
of  smaller  islands,  on  our  right,  and  picturesque  mountains  of 
considerable  elevation  on  both  right  and  left. 


414  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

We  have  now  to  bid  farewell  to  the  great  Vancouver  Island, 
whose  most  northerly  point,  Gape  Commerell,  we  leave  to 
the  left.  Emerging  from  the  channel,  which  affords  us,  at 
its  western  entrance,  an  exceedingly  fine  retrospective  view  in 
which  Mount  Lemon  is  a  prominent  object,  we  look  westward 
over  the  broad  expanse  of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Here,  if  any- 
where on  our  entire  voyage,  we  are  sensible  for  a  short  time, 
of  a  gentle  swell.  Those,  however,  whom  the  mere  mention 
of  the  open  sea  would  be  sufficient  to  drive  to  the  seclusion  of 
their  cabins,  may  take  comfort  in  the  assurance  that  the 
steamer  had  scarcely  begun  to  yield  to  its  influence  when  it 
passes  under  the  lee  of  the  great  Calvert  Island,  and  enters  the 
land-locked  channel  of  Fit/hugh  Sound.  Here,  again,  we 
have  superb  scenery  on  either  side,  the  mountains  of  Calvert 
Island  culminating  in  an  exceedingly  sharp  peak,  known  as 
Mount  Buxton  (3,430  feet),  the  retrospective  view  of  which  is 
very  fine.  The  scenery  on  the  mainland  and  the  islands  on 
our  right  is  similar  in  character.  The  soundings  here  indicate 
very  deep  water,  although  there  is  excellent  anchorage  in 
many  of  those  beautiful  bays  which  are  formed  by  the  indented 
shores.  As  we  approach  the  northern  extremity  of  the  Sound, 
where  Burke  Canal  opens  out  on  the  right  (opposite  the  great 
Hunter  Islands,  the  most  northerly  of  the  three  large  islands 
which,  with  a  number  of  smaller  ones,  form  the  west  shore  of 
the  Sound),  the  scenery  increases  in  grandeur,  the  lesser  and 
nearer  hills  being  clothed  to  their  summits  with  coniferous 
trees,  while  the  more  distant  ones,  overtopping  them,  are  cov- 
ered with  snow.  Here  a  surprise  awaits  the  traveler  in  the 
sudden  turning-about  of  the  steamer,  whose  helm  is  put  hard- 
a-starboard  with  the  result  that,  instead  of  continuing  its 
course  through  the  broad  and  exceedingly  attractive  Fisher 
Channel,  it  turns  sharply  to  the  left,  through  the  narrow  Lama 
Passage,  which,  midway  between  its  two  extremities,  itself 
makes  a  sharp  turn  northward. 


A    Trip  to  Alaska.  415 

On  the  shore  of  Campbell  Island,  we  pass  the  trim  native 
village  of  Bella  Bella,  with  its  little  church.  On  the  opposite 
shore  are  a  number  of  graves,  some  of  them  with  totem  poles, 
one  of  the  domestic  peculiarities  of  this  region,  of  which  more 
will    be  said    in    its   proper  place. 

The  northern  entrance  to  Lama  Passage,  through  which  we 
emerge  into  the  broad  Seaforth  Channel,  writh  its  multitude  of 
picturesque  islands,  is  extremely  narrow,  but  entirely  free  from 
concealed  dangers.  Just  before  turning  westward  into  Sea- 
forth Channel,  we  have  the  finest  scenery  we  have  so  far  gazed 
upon,  the  grouping  of  the  mountains  being  grand  in  the 
extreme.  If  it  be  afternoon,  its  exquisite  beauty  will  be  greatly 
enhanced  by  atmospheric  effects  utterly  unlike  anything  that 
ninety-nine  out  of  every  hundred  of  our  fellow  passengers 
have  ever  before  seen.  The  sunset,  too,  is  almost  certain  to 
be  of  such  indescribable  grandeur  that  pen  and  brush  will  be 
thrown  down  by  the  despairing  author  and  artist,  who  will 
alike  resign  themselves  to  the  ravishing  beauty  and  splendor 
of  the  scene. 

Another  turn  in  our  remarkable  devious  course,  and  we  are 
steaming  northward  through  Milbank  Sound,  through  whose 
broad  entrance  we  look  out  to  the  open  sea.  Islands  succeed 
islands,  and  mountains,  mountains;  and  the  traveler  is  almost 
as  much  impressed  with  the  mere  geographical  features  of  this 
extraordinary  region  as  with  the  beauty  of  its  scenery.  Here 
we  see,  for  the  first  time,  glacier  paths  on  the  mountain  sides, 
the  lofty  pyramidal  Stripe  Mountain,  so  called  from  the  white 
ik  on  the  southern  flank,  being  an  especially  prominent 
object.  Leaving  Point  Jorkins,  the  southern  extremity  of  the 
great  Princess  Royal  Island,  on  our  left,  we  cont  inue  our  course 
almost  directly  northward  through  the  long  and  narrow  Finlay- 
SOn  Channel,  some  24  miles  long,  with  an  average  width  of 
two  miles.      The    bold    shores  of  this  line  channel  are  densely 


416  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

wooded  to  a  height  of  1,500  feet  or  more;  precipitous  peaks, 
rising  to  a  height  of  nearly  3,000  feet,  occurring  at  intervals, 
with  still  higher  mountains,  whose  dark  masses  are  relieved 
with  patches  of  snow,  rising  behind  them.  Waterfalls  of 
remarkable  height  here  add  a  new  element  of  beauty  to  the 
incomparable  series  of  pictures  revealed  to  us  with  the  contin- 
ued progress  of  the  steamer.  A  contraction  of  the  channel 
known,  for  twenty  miles,  by  the  name  of  Graham  Reach,  and, 
for  the  next  ten  miles,  as  Fraser  Reach,  brings  us  to  the  north 
point  of  Princess  Royal  Island,  where  we  turn  westward 
through  McKay  Reach  into  Wright  Sound.  There  is  nothing 
here  calling  for  special  notice,  although  it  must  not  be  under- 
stood that  the  scenery  is,  on  that  account,  any  the  less  pictur- 
esque. It  is  worth  while  studying  these  successive  channels  upon 
the  charts  of  the  United  States  "Pacific  Coast  Pilot, "so  singular 
is  the  appearance  they  present.  Grenville  Channel,  which  we 
enter  from  Wright  Sound  and  which  lies  between  Pitt 
Island  and  the  mainland,  is,  for  fully  fifty  miles,  as  straight 
as  any  canal  in  the  world.  Its  scenery,  on  both  sides,  is 
exceptionally  fine,  the  mountains  grouping  themselves  with 
magnificent  effect.  Those  near  at  hand  are  clothed  with  dark 
foliage,  others  more  remote,  assume  a  purple  hue,  while  many 
are  seen  to  be  seamed  with  the  paths  of  glaciers  and  avalanches, 
the  higher  peaks  being  in  every  case  covered  with  snow. 
Many  beautiful  islands  start  up  in  mid-channel,  uniformly  cov- 
ered with  a  dense  growth  of  fir,  to  the  very  edge  of  the  water. 
The  channel,  too,  is,  at  places,  exceedingly  narrow,  and  the 
precipitous  mountains  which  rise  from  its  shores  attain  a  height 
varying  from  1,500  to  3,500  feet.  From  an  expansion  of  this 
channel,  we  pass  through  a  narrow  strait  known  as  Arthur 
Passage,  which  has  Kennedy  Island  on  the  right,  and  the  large 
Porcher  Island,  with  many  fine  mountain  peaks,  on  the  left. 
If  the  frequent   recurrence   of    geographical  designations 


A   Trip  to  Alaska.  417 

render  this  brief  description  of  the  Alaska  trip  less  interesting 
to  the  general  reader  than  it  otherwise  would  be,  there  will  be 
a  counterbalancing  advantage  gained  by  the  actual  traveler, 
who  will  find  none  of  the  more  entertaining  works  that  have 
been  written  on  the  subject  of  any  great  value  to  him  as  prac- 
tical guide  books. 

Continuing  our  actual  course,  we  emerge  from  the  channel 
last-named  into  the  great  Chatham  Sound,  abroad  expanse  of 
water  from  whose  distant  shores  rise  imposing  mountains.  The 
eastern  shore  is  here  formed  by  the  remarkable  Chim-sy-an 
Peninsula,  which,  though  forty  miles  long  and  from  five.to 
fifteen  miles  in  breadth,  is  connected  with  the  mainland  only 
by  a  narrow  isthmus. 

Continuing  our  course  northward  through  the  broad  Chatham 
Sound,  with  Dundas  Island  on  our  left  and  a  range  of  snowy 
mountains,  presenting  a  magnificent  appearance,  on  our  right, 
(Mount  McNeill,  the  highest  of  its  peaks,  rising  4,500  feet 
above  the  sea,  and  having  the  appearance  of  being  much  higher 
by  reason  of  our  seeing  its  entire  height  from  the  ocean  level), 
we  soon  cross,  in  latitude  54°  40',  the  boundary  line  between 
British  Columbia  and  the  United  States  Territory  of  Alaska. 
e,  we  shall  do  well  to  acquaint  ourselves  with  such  facts 
relative  to  the  extent,  physical  conditions,  ethnological  features 
and  natural  resources  of  the  ''district"  (to  give  it  the  ill-chosen 
name  by  which  it  is  known  to  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment) as  will,  at  least,  give  us  a  comprehensive  and,  in  the 
main,  correct  idea  of  the  great  territory  we  are  about  to  visit. 
•  its  history,  little  need  be  said,  for  its  Russian  occupa- 
is  of  no  practical  concern  to  us,  while  on  the  other  hand, 
every  reader  will  remember  the  circumstances  of  its  transfer 
to  the  United  States  Government  in  1868,  for  the  sum  of 
00,000.  Its  extent  is  probably  not  nearly  so  well  known, 
or,  if  the  numerals  which    represent   it   have  been   learned  by 


418  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

heart,  it  is  still  doubtful  whether  they  have  created  in  the 
mind  any  adequate  conception  of  the  vast  extent  of  the 
province.  Availing  ourselves,  therefore,  of  the  figures  and 
comparisons  that  we  find  ready  to  our  hand  in  the  Reports  of 
Governor  Swineford  and  Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson,  we  may  remark 
that  its  extreme  breadth  from  north  to  south  is  1,400  miles, 
or  as  far  as  from  Maine  to  Florida,  and  that  from  its  eastern 
boundary  to  the  western  end  of  the  Aleutian  Islands  is  2,200 
miles;  so  that  the  Governor,  sitting  in  his  office  at  Sitka,  is 
very  little  farther  from  Eastport,  Me.,  than  from  the  extreme 
western  limit  of  his  own  jurisdiction,  measuring,  of  course,  in  a 
straight  line.  Its  coast  line  of  18,211  miles  is  nearly  twice 
as  great  as  the  combined  Atlantic  and  Pacific  coast  lines  of 
the  United  States  proper,  and  its  most  westerly  point  extends 
beyond  the  most  easterly  point  of  Asia  a  distance  of  nearly 
1,000  miles.  In  actual  extent  it  is  as  large  as  all  the  New 
England  and  Middle  States,  together  with  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illi- 
nois, Wisconsin,  Michigan,  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  combined, 
or  as  all  that  portion  of  the  United  States  lying  east  of  the 
Mississippi  River  and  north  of  Georgia  and  the  Carolinas.  A 
country  so  vast  as  this  must  be  a  poor  one  indeed,  if  the  paltry 
$7,200,000  paid  for  it  does  not  turn  out  to  bear  little  more 
than  the  same  proportion  to  its  value  that  was  borne  by  the 
pepper-corn  rent  in  so  many  old.  English  legal  conveyances  to 
the  valuable  estates  for  whose  holding  it  was  the  nominal 
annual  consideration. 

With  regard  to  its  physical  conditions,  it  is  sufficient  for  our 
present  purpose  to  say  that  a  large  part  of  it  is  still  passing^ 
through  the  glacial  period;  that  it  contains  in  Mount  St.  Elias 
the  highest  mountain  on  the  North  American  Continent,  and  in 
Mount  Cook,  Mount  Crillon  and  Mount  Fairweather  peaks  ex- 
ceeded in  height  only  by  Mount  Popocatepetl  and  Mount 
Orizaba,  in  Mexico;  that  its  great  river,  the  Yukon,  computed 


4^0  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

to  be  not  less  than  3,000  miles  long,  is  navigable  for  a  distance 
of  2,000  miles,  is  from  one  mile  to  five  miles  in  breadth  for  no 
less  than  1,000  miles  of  its  course,  and  is  seventy  miles  wide 
across  its  five  mouths  and  the  intervening  deltas;  and  that, 
while  the  climate  of  the  interior  is  Arctic  in  the  severity  of  its 
winter  and  tropical  in  the  heat  of  its  summer,  that  of  the  im- 
mense southern  coast,  with  its  thousands  of  islands,  is  one  of 
the  most  equable  in  the  world,  by  reason  of  the  Kuro-siwo,  or 
Japan  current,  a  thermal  stream  which  renders  the  entire 
North  Pacific  Coast,  even  in  this  high  latitude,  warm  and 
humid.  Only  four  times  in  forty-live  years  has  the  tempera- 
ture at  Sitka  fallen  to  zero,  while  only  seven  summers  in  that 
same  period  have  been  marked  by  a  higher  temperature  than 
8o°  Fah.  The  influence  of  moisture  in  regulating  temperature 
is  too  well  known  to  call  for  any  further  remarks  under  this 
head,  and  the  facts  above  given  are  stated  only  that  they  may 
help  to  dispel  from  the  non-scientific  mind  the  erroneous  no- 
tions relative  to  the  climate  of  this  great  territory,  that  so 
largely  prevail. 

With  the  exception  of  the  Tinneh,  a  tribe  which  has  forced 
its  way  to  the  coast  from  the  interior,  the  natives  of  Alaska  are 
not  Indians.  Their  traditions,  manners,  customs  and  other 
race  characteristics  prove  them  to  belong  to  the  Mongolian 
branch  of  the  great  human  family.  Between  their  racial  and 
tribal  designations,  the  visitor,  who  hears  of  Thlinkets,  Hydahs, 
Chilkats,  Auks,  Sitkans  and  many  others,  is  liable  to  get  some- 
what confused.  It  may,  therefore,  be  not  only  interesting  but 
otherwise  of  advantage  to  him  to  know  beforehand  that  the 
native  population  of  the  Territory,  estimated  to  number  31,240 
at  the  United  States  census  of  1880,  is  divided  into  five  races: 
(1)  the  Innuit,  or  Esquimaux,  numbering  17,617,  who  occupy 
almost  the  entire  coast  line  of  the  mainland;  (2)  the  Aleuts, 
numbering    2,145,,    inhabiting   the   Aleutian    Islands;    (3)    the 


422  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

Tinneh,  numbering  3,927,  found  chiefly  in  the  Yukon  district, 
on  the  Copper  River  and  at  Cook's  Inlet,  and  the  only  race 
not  supposed  to  be  of  common  origin  with  the  rest;  (4)  the 
Thlinkets,  numbering  6,763,  occupying  almost  exclusively  that 
southeastern  division  which  the  tourist  is  on  his  way  to  visit; 
and  (5)  the  Hydahs,  788  in  number,  on  the  southern  half  of 
Prince  of  Wales  Island.  The  various  tribes  with  which  the 
traveler  will  come  into  contact  are  of  the  Thlinket  race — de- 
scribed by  Dr.  Jackson  as  i%  a  hardy,  self-reliant,  industrious, 
self-supporting,  well-to-do,  warlike,  superstitious  race,  whose 
very  name  is  a  terror  to  the  civilized  Aleuts  to  the  west,  as 
well  as  to  the  savage  Tinneh  to  the  north  of  them." 

Deferring  statements  as  to  their  tribal  peculiarities  to  a  place 
at  which  they  can  be  set  forth  with  greater  advantage,  let  us  now 
glance  at  the  resources  of  the  country,  so  far,  at  least,  as  they 
have  been  brought  to  light.  These  comprise:  (1)  its  world- 
renowned  seal  fisheries;  (2)  its  salmon,  cod,  whale  and  herring 
fisheries;  (3)  its  extensive  deposits  of  gold,  silver,  copper,  iron, 
coal  and  other  minerals;  and  (4)  its  vast  forests. 

The  seal-fur  fisheries,  as  is  well-known,  are  leased  for  twenty 
years,  from  1870,  to  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company,  which 
pays  the  Government  an  annual  rental  of  $55,000  for  the 
islands,  and  a  royalty  of  $2.62^  each  on  the  100,000  seal  skins 
allowed  to  be  taken  annually.  From  this  owe  source  alone, 
therefore,  the  Government  receives  an  annual  sum  of  $317,500, 
or  more  than  \\  per  cent,  per  annum  on  the  amount  paid  to 
the  Russian  Government  for  the  Territory. 

The  salmon,  cod  and  whale  fisheries  of  Alaska  are  of  far 
greater  importance  than  is  generally  known,  their  yield,  during 
1887,  being  valued  at  $3,000,000,  exclusive  of  the  various 
products  of  the  herring  fisheries,  which  are  both  extensive  and 
valuable.  The  most  important  point  in  the  operations  ot 
this  last-named  industry  is    Killisnoo,  on   Admiralty   Island, 


A   Trip  to  Alaska.  423 

where  as  many  as  138,000  barrels  of  oil  have  been  put  up  in  a 
single  month. 

Men  are  so  liable  to  be  carried  away  by  excitement  upon 
finding  even  the  smallest  traces  of  the  precious  metals,  that 
the  outside  world,  hearing  or  reading  of  their  discoveries,  at  a 
distance,  usually  pays  but  little  attention  to  them.  While,  how- 
ever, the  claims  of  Alaska  to  untold  wealth  in  silver  and  copper 
must  be  admitted,  if  admitted  at  all,  on  mere  hearsay,  except 
so  far  as  the  reports  of  explorers  are  borne  out  by  the  geologi- 
cal formation  of  the  country,  every  tourist  has  an  opportunity 
of  visiting,  under  the  most  advantageous  and  pleasurable  cir- 
cumstances, the  greatest  gold  mine  in  the  world,  namely,  the 
Treadwell  Mine,  on  Douglas  Island,  of  which  more  will  be  said 
in  its  proper  place. 

It  will  be  but  a  few  years  before  the  lumbering  operations 
now  going  on  in  the  forest  belt  of  the  new  State  of  Washington 
extend  to  this  far  northern  region.  The  whole  of  southeastern 
Alaska  is  covered  with  a  dense  growth  of  spruce,  hemlock  and 
yellow  cedar,  fiequently  containing  timber  of  from  thirty  to 
forty  feet  in  diameter  at  the  base,  and  growing  to  a  height  of 
thirty  to  forty  feet  before  branching.  The  yellow  cedar  is  said 
to  be  the  most  valuable  timber  on  the  Pacific  coast,  being 
highly  prized,  both  by  the  cabinet-maker  and  ship-builder. 

With  regard  to  agriculture,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  refer  to  the 
admirable  report  of  the  Governor  of  Alaska,  for  1886,  in  which 
he  combats  the  rash  statements  of  various  transient  visitors, 
whose  prominence  obtains  for  their  assertions  a  credence  of 
which  they  are  not  always  worthy;  and,  fortifying  his  state- 
ment with  the  authority  of  Mr.  W.  H.  Dall,  of  the  Smithsonian 
Institution, who  has  devoted  more  time  and  made  more  thorough 
an  Iks  into  the  natural  resources  of  Alaska  than  any  other 
►on,  declares  that  there  are  considerable  areas  of  arable 
land,  with  a  soil  of  sufficient  depth   and   fertility  to  insure  the 


424  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

growth  of  the  very  best  crops,  and  that  the  experiments  which 
have  been  made  in  the  past  two  or  three  years  have  proved 
most  conclusively  that  all  the  cereals,  as  well  as  the  tubers,  can 
be  grown  to  perfection  in  Alaskan  soil  and  climate.  It  is  im- 
possible in  these  pages  to  pursue  this  interesting  and  impor- 
tant subject  further,  but  it  may  be  stated  that  the  Governor 
does  not  content  himself  with  mere  assertion,  but  that,  in  ad- 
dition to  giving  the  results  of  the  various  experiments  that 
have  been  made,  he  deals  at  some  length  with  the  subject  of 
the  native  grasses  of  the  Territory,  all  going  to  prove  that  the 
country  is  not  nearly  so  worthless  for  agricultural  purposes  as 
interested  detractors  or  careless  and  superficial  observers  would 
have  us  believe. 

Having  thus  acquainted  himself  with  a  few  of  the  more  im- 
portant facts  concerning  this  great  Territory,  the  tourist  is  now 
prepared  to  resume  his  voyage.  Crossing  the  broad  expanse 
of  Dixon  Entrance,  where,  looking  westward,  we  see  the  open 
sea,  we  enter  Clarence  Strait,  over  one  hundred  miles  long  and 
nowhere  less  than  four  miles  in  width.  We  are  now  within 
the  remarkable  geographical  area  known  as  Alexander 
Archipelago,  a  congeries  of  straits,  inlands,  inlets,  rocks,  and 
passages  extending  through  nearly  five  degrees  of  latitude  and 
seven  of  longitude.  The  islands  of  this  archipelago  definitely 
placed  on  the  charts  number  1,100,  and  we  have  the  authority 
of  the  United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey  for  the  state- 
ment that,  if  all  the  existing  rocks  and  islands  were  enumer- 
ated, the  number  stated  would  have  to  be  very  considerably 
increased. 

Throughout  the  whole  of  Clarence  Strait,  we  have  on  our  left 
the  great  Prince  of  Wales  Island,  the  home  of  the  Hydahs, 
with  whose  marvelous  skill  in  carving,  the  tourist  doubtless 
became  familiar  during  his  brief  stay  at  Victoria.  Their  minia- 
ture totems,  cut  in  dark  slate-stone,  are  greatly  sought  after 


A   Trip  to  Alaska.  42S 

by  tourists  and  command  a  somewhat  high  price.  The  artistic 
skill  of  this  famous  tribe  has,  however,  been  better  exemplified 
in  its  spoons,  carved  out  of  the  horn  of  the  mountain  goat;  but 
these  have  nearly  all  gone  to  enrich  the  collections  of  eastern 
visitors  during  the  last  two  or  three  seasons,  and  during  his 
visit  to  the  Territory,  in  the  summer  of  1887,  the  present  writer 
found  but  a  single  specimen  in  many  hundreds  of  carved  goat's 
horn  spoons,  that  sustained  the  reputation  of  the  Hydahs  for 
that  delicacy  of  workmanship  in  which  they  well-nigh  rival  the 
ivory  workers  of  Japan. 

It  may  be  mentioned  in  this  connection  that  the  recently 
formed  Alaskan  Society  of  Natural  History  and  Ethnology, 
whose  headquarters  are  at  Sitka,  has  already  gathered  together 
an  exceedingly  interesting  and  valuable  collection  of  specimens 
of  native  handiwork;  and  visitors  are  invited  to  contribute 
to  a  fund  which  is  being  raised  for  the  purchase  and  preserva- 
tion of  Alaskan  curiosities  of  every  description,  especially 
those  made  by  the  natives  before  the  influx  of  tourists  found 
them  the  ready  market  they  now  possess,  and  led  them,  as  it 
unfortunately  did,  to  think  more  of  the  quantity  than  the 
quality  of  their  work. 

The  islands  on  our  right  as  we  continue  our  voyage  are  the 
Gravina  Group,  Revilla  Gigedo  and,  after  a  promontory  of 
the  mainland,  Etolin  Island,  round  whose  northern  coast  we 
steer  northeastward  to  Fort  Wrangell,  usually  the  first  calling 
place  of  the  steamer,  during  the  tourist  season.  The  Gravina 
Islands  contain  a  fine  range  of  mountains,  the  higher  peaks  of 
which  have  their  dark  masses  relieved  by  patches  of  snow. 
do  Island  likewise  is  mountainous — its  nearer 
summits  clothed  with  pine,  its  more  distant  ones  crowned  with 
rlasting  snow.  On  Prince  of  Wales  Island,  the  mountains 
rising  before  us  are  enveloped,  for  the  most  part,  in  a  delicious 
purple  haze.     As  we  approach  them,  their  rocky,  precipitous, 


426  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

and  deeply  fissured  sides  (the  last  the  result  of  glacial  action, 
which  is  plainly  visible)  afford  a  striking  diversity  of  outline 
and  color,  which,  added  to  the  beauties  of  light  and  shade  lent 
chem  by  passing  clouds,  have  a  very  fine  effect.  Clarence 
Strait  is,  indeed,  a  magnificent  sheet  of  water,  well  worthy  of 
its  place  in  that  remarkable  series  of  devious  water-ways 
through  which  our  voyage  lies. 

Fort  Wrangell,  although  formerly  a  place  of  some  impor- 
tance as  the  port  of  the  Cassiar  mines,  away  in  the  interior 
beyond  the  international  boundary,  is,  of  all  the  settlements  at 
which  the  steamer  calls,  the  least  attractive  in  every  respect 
save  that  it  is  here  that  the  tourist  will  find  the  largest  assem- 
blage of  totem  poles  that  he  will  have  an  opportunity  of  seeing, 
as  well  as  several  old  graves  of  singularly  striking  appearance. 
The  village,  which  occupies  a  beautiful  site,  is  given  up 
almost  entirely  to  the  Stikine  tribe  of  the  Thlinket  race,  and, 
within  a  few  minutes  after  the  arrival  of  the  steamer  at  the 
wharf,  the  interior  ot  almost  every  house  presents  an  animated 
appearance,  curio-hunting  passengers  thronging  them  to  the 
doors,  and  bargaining  with  their  inmates  for  the  various  objects 
ot  interest  they  see  around  them. 

The  ship's  officers,  Government  officials  and  other  persons 
supposed  to  be  well  informed  are  frequently  asked  which  of 
the  various  stopping  places  is  the  best  for  the  purchase  of 
curiosities.  In  anticipation  of  this  inquiry,  it  may  be  stated 
that  there  is  little  to  choose  between  Fort  Wrangell,  Juneau 
and  Sitka,  except  that  in  the  fine  store  of  Messrs.  Koehler  & 
James,  at  Juneau,  the  visitor  will  find  a  larger  collection  of 
the  more  desirable  and  costly  specimens  of  native  handiwork, 
as  well  as  of  valuable  furs,  than  at  either  of  the  other  two 
places.  At  any  one  of  them,  however,  and  at  any  moment,  he 
may, run  across  something  that  could  not  be  duplicated  in  the 
entire  Territory,  although  each  recurring  season  renders  this 
less  and  less  probable. 


ALASKAN  GRAVE  AND  TOTEM   POLES  AT  FORT  WRANGELL. 


428  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

A  strongly  marked  trait  in  the  character  of  the  Thlinkets  is 
their  respect  for  their  ancestors,  Independently  of  their 
tribal  distinctions,  which  are  little  more  than  local,  they  are 
divided  into  four  totems  or  clans,  each  of  which  is  known  by  a 
badge  or  emblem  used  much  in  the  same  way  as  is  the  crest  or 
coat  of  arms  among  the  old  families  of  Europe.  These, 
according  to  Mr.  W.  H.  Dall,  are  the  Raven,  the  Wolf,  the 
Whale  and  the  Eagle;  and  these  emblems  are  carved  on  their 
houses,  household  utensils,  paddles  and  frequently  on  amulets 
of  native  copper,  which  they  preserve  with  scrupulous  care  and 
consider  to  be  of  the  greatest  value.  In  front  of  many  of  their 
houses,  and  also  at  their  burial  places,  are  posts  varying  from 
twenty  to  sixty  feet  in  height  and  from  two  to  five  feet  in 
diameter,  carved  to  represent  successive  ancestral  totems  and 
usually  stained  black,  red  and  blue.  As  already  stated,  several 
of  these  totem  poles,  as  they  are  called,  are  to  be  seen  at  Fort 
Wrangell,  as  well  as  two  remarkable  graves,  one  surmounted  by 
a  rudely  carved  whale,  and  the  other  by  a  huge  figure  of  a 
wolf. 

Resuming  our  voyage,  we  leave  this  curious  old  Stikine 
town,  and  after  steaming  westward  to  the  southern  entrance  to 
Wrangell  Strait,  turn  northward  and  follow  that  narrow  pas- 
sage into  the  broader  Dry  Strait,  where  we  have  the  mag- 
nificent Patterson  Glacier  on  our  right  and  find  considerable 
floating  ice.  Following  the  north  shore  of  Kupreanoff  Island, 
we  enter  Frederick  Sound;  but  quickly  resume  our  almost 
directly  northward  course  by  entering  Stephens  Passage, 
where  we  have  Admiralty  Island  on  our  left,  said,  by  the  way, 
to  be  swarming  with  bear,  and.the  mainland  on  our  right.  On 
Stockade  Point,  a  comparatively  low  peninsula  from  which  the 
land  rises  rapidly  to  snow-capped  mountains,  is  a  ruined  block- 
house and  stockade,  built  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  and 
on  the  other  side  of   a  small  inlet   is  Grave  Point,  a  native 


A    Trip  to  Alaska.  42$ 

burial  ground.  Leaving  to  the  right  Taku  Inlet,  we  enter  the 
narrow  and  picturesque  Gastineau  Channel,  between  the  main- 
land and  the  now  famous  Douglas  Island.  Here,  on  a  narrow 
strip  of  land,  at  the  foot  of  a  deep  ravine  between  two  pre- 
cipitous mountains,  stands  Juneau,  a  cluster  of  detached  white 
houses,  relieved  here  and  there  by  the  unpainted  frame-work 
of  others  in  process  of  building.  The  mountain  rising  behind 
it,  as  you  approach  it  from  the  south,  is  deeply  fissured,  and 
seamed  with  snow,  and  the  town  itself  is  built  mainly  upon  a 
huge  land-slide.  Not  a  few  of  the  houses  have  apparently 
been  built  by  white  sett*lers  attracted  to  the  spot  by  the  fabu- 
lously rich  mineral  deposits  of  the  district.  These  have  been 
followed  by  general  traders,  who  in  addition  to  supplying  the 
resident  population  with  the  necessaries  of  life,  reap  a  rich 
harvest,  during  the  tourist  season,  from  the  sale  of  sundry 
products  of  native  handiwork  and  the  skins  of  the  various  fur- 
bearing  animals. 

An  excellent  weekly  newspaper,  called  the  Alaska  Free 
Prcs?)  is  published  at  Juneau.  The  visitor  need  not  turn  to  its 
pages  for  any  later  news  from  the  outside  world  than  he  is 
already  in  possession  of,  for  Alaska  has  not,  as  yet,  the  advan- 
tage of  telegraphic  communication  with  the  rest  of  the  world. 
He  will  find,  however,  much  interesting  reading  relative  to  the 
mining  resources  of  the  district  and  the  Territory  generally;  a 
column  or  two  of  spicy  local  items  and,  possibly,  thereportof 
ently  returned  explorer;  while  the  business  advertise- 
ments of  this  thriving  settlement  of  the  Far  North  will  be  by  no 
means  devoid  of  interest. 

Juneau  itself,  however,  as  a  point  of  interest  to  the  tourist. 
nhausted,  and  his  thoughts  turn  to  the  great  Treadwell 

The   Richest  Gold   Mine  in   the  World,    which  lies 
annel  on    Douglas   [sland.  whither   the  steamer 


430  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

will  proceed  after  a  brief  stay  at  Juneau.  It  is  by  no  means 
an  easy  task  to  determine  which  .of  the  many  extraordinary 
statements  relative  to  this  valuable  property  that  one  hears 
from  time  to  time  are  worthy  of  credence  and  which  are  not; 
and  even  when  the  truth  has  been  approximately  ascertained, 
there  remains  the  difficulty  of  determining  how  much  may 
properly  be  made  public,  and  how  much  should  be  regarded  as 
only  the  individual  and  private  concern  of  the  owners  of  the 
mine.  In  view,  however,  of  the  fact  that  the  mill  has,  for  some 
time,  had  in  operation  a  larger  number  of  stamps  than  any  other 
mill  in  the  world;  that  by  the  time  this  pamphlet  leaves  the 
press,  the  works  will  contain  more  ore-crushing  machinery 
than  the  five  largest  mines  in  Butte  Ctty,  all  combined,  and  that 
the  Governor  of  the  Territory  himself  places  the  output  of  the 
mine  for  1887  at  $100,000  per  month,  it  is  surely  not  incredible 
that  the  company  should  have  refused  $16,000,000  for  its 
property,  or  that  it  pays  a  dividend  of  100  per  cent,  per  month, 
all  the  year  round;  or  yet,  at  least  to  those  who  have  seen  it, 
that  the  ore  actually  in  sight  is  worth  about  five  times  the 
amount  paid  to  the  Russian  Government  for  the  entire  Terri- 
tory, and  that,  even  at  the  present  enormous  rate  of  produc- 
tion, it  can  not  be  exhausted  in  less  than  a  century. 

Although  it  can  not  but  interfere  to  some  extent  with  the 
operations  of  the  mine,  visitors  are,  with  great  courtesy,  shown 
everything  that  is  likely  to  prove  of  interest  to  them.  They 
see  the  natives  earning  $2.50  per  day  each  in  the  mine,  and 
learn  to  their  surprise  that  they  are  better  workmen  than  the 
whites;  they  see  the  ore  in  every  stage  from  blasting  to  final 
separation,  and  though  they  may  leave  with  a  tinge  of  regret  that 
it  has  not  been  their  own  luck  to  have  made  so  valuable  a  dis- 
covery, they  will  none  the  less  congratulate  the  owners  on  their 
magnificent  possession.  It  will  have  been  inferred,  from  what 
has  already  been   said,  that  it  is  not   a  mere  vein  of  gold,  of 


A   Trip,  to  Alaska.  43J 

varying  richness  and  uncertain  direction,  that  is  here  being 
worked.  So  far  from  that,  the  entire  island  is  nothing  less 
than  a  mountain  of  ore,  sufficient,  according  to  ex-Governor 
Stoneman  of  California,  to  pay  off  the  whole  of  the  national 
debt. 

Gastineau  Channel  not  having  been  thoroughly  explored,  we 
retrace  our  course  to  its  southern  entrance,  where,  turning 
northward,  we  follow  the  wider  channel  that  lies  to  the  west  of 
the  island.  This  brings  us  to  that  remarkable  and  never-to-be- 
forgotten  body  of  water,  the  Lynn  Canal,  where  not  only  have 
we  scenery  surpassing  in  wildness  and  grandeur  all  that  has 
preceded  it,  but  also  many  glaciers,  while  we  reach,  just  under 
the  parallel  of  6o°,  the  most  northerly  point  we  shall  attain  on 
our  trip.  Soon  after  entering  the  canal,  and  when  rounding 
Point  Retreat,  we  see  the  great  Eagle  Glacier  to  the  northeast, 
coming  down  from  the  high  mountains  that  rise  in  the  back- 
ground. A  couple  of  hours'  sail,  however,  brings  us  to  a  point 
at  which  we  can  observe  much  more  closely  the  still  larger 
I  >avidson  Glacier,  on  the  opposite  shore.  But  even  here  we 
do  not  go  ashore,  for  the  far-famed  Muir  Glacier,  which  we 
shall  reach  within  the  next  twenty-four  hours,  has  the  advan- 
tage of  being  as  much  more  easily  accessible  than  its  sister 
glaciers  as  it  exceeds  them  in  magnitude,  beauty  and  general 
interest. 
How  unimpressionable  soever  the  tourist  may  be,  a  mysterious 
se  of  awe  is  almost  sure  to  take  possession  of  him  when  the 
ploring  the  two  inlets  of  Chilkat  and  Chilkoot,  in 
which  the  Lynn  Canal  terminates.  Not,  perhaps,  until  vegeta- 
tion lias  almost  entirely  disappeared,  will  he  have  noticed  its 
incn  but  it  will  not  be  long  before  he  realizes 

the  fact  that  in  the  forbidding  mountains,  the  bare  rocks  and 

the  nineteen  great   i<  e  i  .it.u.M  tS  that   here  discharge  t  heinselves 

into  the  sea,  he  sees  a  picture  more  closely  resembling  the 


A    Trip  to  Alaska.  433 

scenes  of  the  now  not  distant  Arctic  world  than,  probably,  he 
will  ever  again  have  an  opportunity  of  gazing  upon. 

The  natives  of  this  region  are  that  famous  tribe,  the  Chilkats, 
whose  dexterously  woven  dancing  blankets  are  so  much  sought 
after  by  all  visitors  to  Alaska  who  desire  to  take  home  with 
them  the  finest  examples  of  Alaskan  handiwork,  regaidless  of 
cost.  They  are  made  from  the  wool  of  the  white  mountain 
goat,  out  of  whose  black  horns  are  carved  the  spoons  and 
ladles  already  referred  to.  The  white  wool  is  hung  from  an 
upright  frame,  and  into  it  nimble  fingers  weave,  by  means  of 
ivory  shuttles,  curious  and  beautiful  patterns  from  yarn  dyed 
with  a  variety  of  brilliant  colors. 

We  have  now  to  retrace  our  course  some  sixty-five  miles  to 
Point  Retreat,  where,  instead  of  taking  the  easterly  channel 
and  returning  to  Juneau, we  continue  almost  directly  southward 
to  the  point  at  which  the  waters  of  Lynn  Canal  mingle  with 
those  of  Icy  Strait.  Here,  our  good  ship's  course  is  once  more 
directed  northward,  and  after  a  brief  sail,  we  enter  the  island- 
studded  Glacier  Bay,  where  innumerable  icebergs  proclaim  our 
approach  to  that  crowning  glory  of  this  veritable  Wonderland, 
the  famous  Muir  Glacier,  undoubtedly  the 

Greatest  Glacier  in  the  World,  outside  of  the  Polar  seas. 
It  is  hard  to  say  which  has  the  greater  advantage — the  traveler 
who  sees  it  first  from  afar;  sees  it  as  a  vast  river  of  ice  flowing 
down  from  between  the  mountains,  with  many  tributaries  both 
on  the  right  and  left,  and  to  whom  its  beauties  are  gradually 
unfolded  with  the  nearer  approach  of  the  steamer;  or  he  who, 
kened  from  his  slumber  by  the  thunderous  roar  which 
announces  the  birth  of  some  huge  iceberg,  hurries  on  deck  to 
gaze  upon  a  picture  without  parallel  in  the  known  world — a 
perpendicular  wall  of  ice,  towering  to  five  times  the  height  of 
the  mast-head,  and  glowing  in  the  sunlight  like  a  mountain  of 
mother-of-pearl.     A  recent  visitor  to  this  indescribable  scene — 


434  The  Northern   Pacific  Railroad. 

himself  possessing  descriptive  powers  of  no  mean  order — 
declares  that  in  the  narrative  of  his  Alaska  trip  he  would  pre- 
fer to  insert  a  series  of  asterisks  where  his  description  of  the 
Muir  Glacier  should  come;  and  certainly  we  need  a  new 
vocabulary  to  set  forth  its  wondrous  beauty  with  any  degree 
of  fidelity.  While,  as  will  be  inferred  from  what  has  already 
been  stated,  its  dimensions  are  such  as  to  constitute  it  one  of 
the  physical  wonders  of  the  world,  its  proportions  are  so 
admirable  that  the  traveler  is  less  impressed  with  its  immensity 
than  with  its  utter  novelty  and  incomparable  beauty;  and  it  is 
as  much  a  revelation  to  those  who  have  seen  the  glaciers  of 
Switzerland  or  familiarized  themselves  with  the  voyages  of 
Arctic  and  Antarctic  explorers,  as  it  is  to  those  whose  ideas  of 
a  glacier  were  of  the  most  indefinite  and  inadequate  character. 

The  breadth  of  the  glacier  at  its  snout  is  fully  a  mile,  and 
when,  almost  under  its  shadow,  the  second  officer  heaves  the 
lead  and  sings  out:  "  One  hundred  and  five  fathoms,  and  no 
bottom,  Sir,"  the  wonderment  of  the  traveler  is  heightened  by 
an  immediate  realization  of  the  fact  that  this  enormous  ice-flow 
extends  at  least  twice  as  far  below  the  surface  of  the  water  as 
it  rises  above  it,  and  that  it  is  accordingly  not  less  than  1,000 
feet  deep.  But  its  vast  dimensions  and  its  marvelous  grada- 
tions of  color,  from  pure  white  to  deepest  indigo,'  do  not  alone 
make  up  that  unapproachable  tout  ensemble  which  is  the  wonder 
and  delight  of  every  visitor.  To  speak  of  it  as  a  perpendicular 
wall  of  ice  almost  necessarily  conveys  the  idea  of  comparative 
regularity,  as  though  it  were  a  suddenly  congealed  cataract. 
Instead  of  that,  however,  the  face  of  the  glacier  is  composed 
of  crystal  blocks  of  every  conceivable  size  and  shape,  many  of 
them  having  angular  projections  or  rising  cliff-like  from  its 
brink,  until,  with  a  roar  like  that  of  the  distant  discharge  of 
heavy  ordnance  it  comes  their  turn  to  fall  off  into  the  sea. 

The  disintegration  of  these   immense  masses,  some  of  them 


A    Trip  to  Alaska.  435 

weighing  thousands  of  tons,  suggests  the  interesting  question: 
Efowfast  cloes  the  glacier  move  forward?  Professor  G.  Frederick 
Wright,  of  Oberlin,  Ohio,  in  an  exceedingly  interesting  article 
in  the  American  Journal  of  Science,  for  January,  1887,  declares, 
as  the  result  of  careful  observation  extending  over  several 
weeks  that  its  progressive  daily  movement  during  the  month 
of  August  is  seventy  feet  at  the  centre  and  ten  feet  at  the 
margin,  or  an  average  of  forty  feet  per  day.  Its  general  move- 
ment being  entirely  imperceptible — it  is  only  seven-twelfths  of 
an  inch  per  minute  where  it  is  greatest — Professor  Wright's 
assertion  has  somewhat  rashly  been  disputed  by  visitors  who 
have  not  been  at  the  trouble  to  make  observations  for  them- 
selves. But  there  is  surely  nothing  incredible  in  a  forward 
movement  averaging,  at  most,  forty  feet  per  day,  in  view 
of  the  continual  falling  off  of  such  immense  masses, 
especially  when  it  is  remembered  that  Professor  J.  D.  Forbes 
found  the  Mer  de  Glace  to  move  forward  at  the  rate  of  from 
15  to  17.5  inches  per  day,  at  a  much  less  angle,  with  an 
infinitely  smaller  volume  of  ice  behind  it,  and  diminishing  at 
its  termination,  only  by  the  slow  process  of  liquefaction. 

The  steamer  usually  remains  in  front  of  the  glacier  an  entire 
day,  and  ers  are  landed   on   a  dry  and  solid   moraine, 

from  which  a  larger  area  of  the  glacier  than  they  will  care  to 
explore  is  within  comparatively  easy  reach.  Everyone  should 
climb  up  on  to  the  great  ice-field — 

"  A  crystal  pavement  by  the  breath  of  Heaven 
1  ted  firm;" 

look    down    into   its  profound    crevasses,    and    view    also    the 

•lihcent  panorama    of    Arctic   scenery   that    it    commands, 

including  Mount  (Villon,  raisingits  snowy  crest  against  the  sky 

However  indulgent  be  the  Captain,  this  red-letter  day  in  the 


436  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

experience  of  the  visitor — a  veritable  epoch  in  his  life — comes 
to  an  end  at  last.  The  whistle  is  sounded,  and  slowly  and 
cautiously  the  steamer  threads  her  way  through  the  floating 
ice,  and  is  headed  for  Sitka.  This  stage  of  the  trip  might  be 
considerably  shortened  by  the  steamer  putting  out  to  sea 
through  Cross  Sound,  and  it  is  only  to  avoid  the  disagreeable 
experience  to  her  passengers  that  would  attend  the  outside 
passage,  that  she  takes  a  less  direct  course. 

Proceeding  southeastward  through  Icy  Strait,  we  enter 
Chatham  Strait,  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  remarkable  of 
the  inland  highways  of  the  Alexander  Archipelago.  From.this 
broad  sheet  of  water  we  go  westward  through  Peril  Straits,  a 
designation  that  might  excite  some  little  apprehension  were  we 
not  told  that  it  was  bestowed  upon  the  channel  through  which 
we  pass,  not  because  of  any  difficulty  or  danger  attending  its 
navigation,  but  on  account  of  the  death  there,  in  1799,  of  a 
large  number  of  Aleuts  who  had  partaken  of  poisonous 
mussels.  For  two-thirds  of  the  distance  traversed  by  the 
steamer,  the  straits  are  several  miles  wide,  but  they  ultimately 
narrow  to  a  width  of  less  than  half  a  mile,  to  form,  with  Neva 
and  Olga  Straits,  a  succession  of  beautiful  channels,  studded 
with  charming  islands,  and  presenting  a  striking  contrast  to 
the  desolate-looking  shores  of  Glacier  Bay. 

There  is  no  trip  in  the  world  of  corresponding  duration  that 
is  less  monotonous  than  this  two  weeks'  excursion  to  Alaska. 
The  tourist  is  continually  being  greeted  by  scenes  utterly 
unlike  any  he  has  ever  before  gazed  upon,  while  the  contrasts 
presented  by  successive  days'  experiences  are,  themselves,  as 
delightful  as  they  are  surprising.  Should  the  steamer,  for 
example,  come  to  an  anchorage  in  Sitka  Sound  during  the  night 
or  in  the  early  morning,  the  traveler  will  be  almost  startled  by 
the  novel,  picturesque  and  altogether  pleasing  appearance  of 
the  scene  that  will  greet  him  when  he  goes  on  deck  to  take  his 


A   Trip  to  Alaska.  437 

first  view  of  the  Capital  city.  On  the  one  hand  are  the 
glistening  waters  of  the  bay,  studded  with  innumerable  rocky, 
moss-covered  islands,  affording  a  scanty  foothold  for  under- 
sized firs  and  spruce;  with  that  extraordinary-looking  peak, 
Mount  Edgecumbe,  rising  beyond,  an  almost  perfect  cone, 
save  that  its  apex  has  been  cut  off  so  sharply  as  to  leave  it 
with  a  perfectly  flat  top,  in  which  is  a  crater  said  to  be  2,000 
feet  in  diameter  and  about  200  feet  deep.  On  the  other  hand, 
from  a  cluster  of  more  or  less  quaint-looking  buildings,  rises 
Baranoff  Castle,  the  former  residence  of  a  long  succession  of 
stern  Muscovite  governors,  and  the  emerald  green  cupola  and 
dome  of  the  Russo-Greek  church,  with  lofty  mountains,  in- 
eluding  the  frowning  Vostovia,  in  the  background. 

It  is  with  an  already  formed  favorable  impression  of  the  place 
that  the  passenger  steps  ashore,  to  visit  the  two  remarkable 
buildings  above  mentioned,  of  which,  probably,  he  has  often 
heard  and  read;  to  saunter  through  the  curious  streets  of  the 
town,  and  to  pick  up  in  its  stores  and  in  the  houses  of  the 
natives  additional  specimens  of  Alaskan  handiwork  and  other 
curiosities;  to  visit  the  Training  School  and  Mission,  where 
native  boys  and  girls  are  being  educated,  Christianized,  and 
taught  useful  trades;  and,  possibly,  to  pay  his  respects  to 
some  member  of  that  admirable  body  of  United  States  officials, 
now  administering  the  affairs  of  the  Territory  with  so  much 
success. 

Baranoff  Castle  is  not  a  grim,  ivy-covered,  and  decaying 
stronghold,  with  turrets,  battlements  and  keep,  but  a  plain, 
square,  substantial,  yellow  frame  building,  surmounted  by  a 
little  look-out  tower,  upon  which  might  have  been  seen  until 
recently  the  revolving  anemometer  of  the  United  States  Signal 
Service,  whose  station  here  has  been  given  up,  presumably 
in  view  of  'he  fact  that  observations  having  been  carefully 
le  and  recorded  for  no  less  than  half  a  century,  first  by  the 


A   Trip  to  Alaska.  439 

Russians  and  afterward  by  the  Americans,  there  remains,  no 
necessity  for  its  further  continuance.  The  interest  that  at- 
taches to  the  castle  is  almost  entirely  either  historical  or 
traditional.  Among  the  memories  that  haunt  its  great  ball- 
room is  that  of  the  beautiful  niece  of  Baron  Romanoff,  one  of 
its  Muscovite  governors,  said  to  have  been  fatally  stabbed 
on  her  wedding  night  by  her  own  lover,  in  whose  enforced 
absence  she  had  been  compelled  by  her  uncle  to  marry  a  pre- 
viously rejected  suitor  of  nobler  birth. 

The  most  interesting  object  in  the  city,  however,  is  the 
Russo-Greek  church,  not  so  much  for  what  it  is  in  itself,  as 
tor  the  paintings,  vestments,  and  other  art  treasures  it  con- 
tains. Among  these  is  an  exquisite  painting  of  the  Madonna 
and  Child,  copied  from  a  celebrated  picture  at  Moscow,  and 
so  largely  covered  with  gold  and  silver — after  the  manner  of 
the  Greek  Church — that  but  little  of  the  picture  is  to  be  seen 
except  the  faces.  Another  of  its  treasures  is  a  bishop's 
(Town,  supposed  to  be  several  hundred  years  old,  and  almost 
covered  with  emeralds,  sapphires  and  pearls. 

Steamer  day  is  a  great  day  at  Sitka,  and  the  scanty- Ameri- 
can population — together  with  prominent  members  of  the 
Russo-American  community,  like  Mr.  George  Kostrometinoff, 
the  Government  interpreter — give  themselves  up  almost 
entirely  to  showing  civilities  to  the  visitors  who  throng  the 
chief  places  of  interest.  They  are  naturally  wishful  that 
tourists  should  take  away  a  favorable  impression  of  Alaska 
generally  and  Sitka  in  particular,  and  Dr.  Sheldon  Jackson, 
ral  agent  of  education  in  Alaska,  under  the  United 
rovernment,  usually  affords  the  visitor  an  opportunity 
of  judging  of  the  excellence  of  the  work  that  is  being  carried 
among  the  natives,  not  forgetting,  at  the  same  time,  to  urge 
the  utter  inadequacy  of  the  miserable  pittance  annually  doled 
out  by  Congress  for  educational  purposes  in  this  vast  Ter- 


440  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

ritory.     In  this  connection  it  may    also    be   stated  that  the 
Russian  inhabitants  themselves  complain  bitterly  of  the  faith-  ' 
lessness  of  our  Government  to  the  pledges  given  to  Russia  at 
the   time   of   the    purchase,  with  regard  to  the  provision  of , 
educational  facilities*  and  other  rights  of  citizenship. 

Having  visited  the  Training  School,  the  tourist  should  con- 
tinue his  walk  to  Indian  River,  along  the  right  bank  of  which 
a  well-marked  trail  will  conduct  him  to  a  woodland  scene  that 
will  form  one  of  the  most  delightful  reminiscences  of  his  visit 
to  Sitka. 

Returning  to  the  town,  he  may  have  the  curiosity  to  inquire 
the  price  of  some  of  the  principal  articles  of  food,  when  he  will 
find  that  he  can  buy  fresh  salmon  at  from  one  cent  to  a  cent 
and  a  half  per  pound,  halibut  and  black  bass  at  one-half  cent 
per  pound,  venison  at  from  six  to  eight  cents  per  pound,  teal 
ducks  at  twenty  cents  per  pair,  and  other  varieties  of  game- 
food  at  correspondingly  low  prices. 

When,  falling  in  with  some  intelligent  resident,  he  learns 
how  many  attractive  and  interesting  places  there  are  within 
easy  reach  of  the  town;  when  he  is  told  of  the  sublime  scenery 
at  the  head  of  Silver  Bay,  including  Sarabinokoff  Cataract, 
with  its  fall  of  500  feet;  of  the  rich  mines  in  its  vicinity,  with 
ores  assaying  from  $4,000  to  $6,000  per  ton;  when  he  hears  of 
the  comparative  facility  with  which  Mount  Edgecumbe  can  be 
ascended  and — assuming  him  to  be  a  sportsman — of  the 
abundance  of  game  on  the  slopes  of  Mount  Vostovia,  as  well 
as  in  other  equally  accessible  localities,  the  traveler  can  not 
help  regretting  that  his  visit  to  so  attractive  a  region  must  so 
soon  come  to  an  end. 

Only  a  brief  reference  has  thus  far  been  made  to  the  almost 
nightless  day  that  prevails  in  this  northern  latitude  at  midsum- 
mer, and  it  may  therefore  be  stated  that,  while,  at  Sitka,  the 
period  between  sunrise  and  sunset  at  the  summer  solstice  is 


A   Trip  to  Alaska.  -441 

only  two  and  one-quarter  hours  longer  than  it  is  at  New  York 
or  Boston,  the  twilight  is  of  such  long  duration  that  it  can 
scarcely  be  said  ever  to  get  dark,  the  last  glow  hardly  dying 
out  in  the  northwest  before  the  first  flush  of  dawn  appears  in 
the  northeast. 

It  is  scarcely  too  much  to  say  that  no  tourist  ever  visited 
even  this  southeastern  strip  of  Alaska  who  did  not  ever  after- 
ward feel  a  profound  interest  in  whatever  concerned  the  wel- 
fare of  this  distant  portion  of  our  great  country,  and  labor  to 
remove  the  various  misconceptions  so  long  current  with  re- 
gard to  it.  Readers  of  these  pages,  therefore,  desirous  of 
keeping  thoroughly  au  courant  with  the  affairs  of  the  Territory; 
of  knowing,  from  time  to  time,  how  rapidly,  and  in  what  new 
directions,  the  development  of  its  vast  wealth-producing  capa- 
bilities is  proceeding;  what  scientists  are  saying  with  regard 
to  its  glaciers  and  its  other  remarkable  natural  features;  what 
success  is  attending  the  efforts  that  are  being  made,  both  by 
educational  and  religious  agencies,  to  civilize  the  still  half- 
savage  native  races  of  the  country,  and  what  light  is  being 
thrown  on  hitherto  perplexing  questions  In  ethnology  and 
kindred  sciences  by  the  labors  of  the  society  recently  formed 
at  Sitka  for  their  investigation,  will  not  consider  the  present 
writer  to  have  gone  needlessly  out  of  his  way  if  he  refers  them 
to  the  interesting  columns  of  The  Alaskan,  a  well-conducted 
weekly  journal  published  at  Sitka,  in  which  everything  of 
public  interest  relating  to  the  Territory  finds  a  place  commen- 
surate with  its  importance. 

Sitka  is  usually  the  last  calling-place  of  the  Alaska  excursion, 
although  it  occasionally  happens  that  some  other  point,  already 
t  with  in  these  pages,  is  reserved  for  the  steamer's  home- 
ward voyage.  Should,  however,  the  good  ship's  return  trip  be 
marked  by  no  strikingly  novel  experiences,  and  have  no  break 
until  she  is  once  more  moored  alongside  the  wharf  at  Victoria, 


442  The  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 

the  matchless  scenery  of  that  long  succession  of  land-locked 
channels  she  will  traverse,  observed  from  new  points  of  view 
and  under  new  physical  conditions,  will,  with  agreeable 
companionship  and  other  social  pleasures,  render  the  home- 
ward voyage  possibly  even  more  truly  enjoyable  than  were 
those  first  few  days  before  the  barriers  of  reserve  were  broken 
down,  and  when  the  rapid  succession  of  one  sublime  and 
unlooked-for  spectacle  after  another  kept  the  mind  in  a  state 
of  perpetual  tension. 


